N-PROTECTED/N-SUBSTITUTED-BETA-AMINO HYDROXY SULFONATES

N-Protected/N-substituted alpha-amino aldehydes, which are useful as pharmaceuticals and pharmaceutical intermediates, can be stored and shipped in a more stable form as N-protected/N-substituted-beta-amino hydroxy sulfonates of formula (.alpha.), wherein W represents a cation which is capable of forming a sulfonate salt; R1 represents alkyl, alkenyl, alkyl substituted with one or more aryl radicals, cycloalkenylalkyl, alkanoyl, haloalkanoyl, aroyl, alkoxycarbonyl, aralokoxycarbonyl, heteroaralkoxycarbonyl or 9-phenylfluoren-9-yl radicals; R2 represents hydrogen, alkyl, alkenyl, aralkyl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkenylalkyl or aryl radicals; or NR1R2 repre sents heterocyclo or heteroaryl radicals; and R3 represents alkyl, haloalkyl, cyanoalkyl, hydroxyalkyl, alkoxyalkyl, aryloxyalkyl, alkylthio alkyl, arylthioalkyl, aryl, aralkyl, heteroaryl, heteroaralkyl, heterocyclo or cycloalkylalkyl radicals; or R2 and R3 together with the nitrogen and the carbon atom to which they are bonded form a heterocyclo radical; which can be readily converted back into the aldehyde under mild conditions. The present invention relates to N-protected/N-substituted-beta-amino hydroxy sulfonates and their use.