preferably about u2212 50 u00b0 c or below the reaction is also preferably run in an inert atmosphere intermediate formula iiia u2032 is then reacted with a weak base in a solvent including methylene chloride thf or acetone at room temperature or above and with a reagent having a halogenated leaving group to arrive at the compound of formula iiia one of ordinary skill in the art would be able to determine the necessary reagent having a halogenated leaving to arrive at the desired pyruvate derivative for example the reagent having a halogenated leaving group may be selected from benzyl chloride bases useful in the processes of the present invention include k 2 co 3 nahco 3 li 2 co 3 cs 2 co 3 t butok t butoli hydroxides metal hydrides and alkyl salts ozonolysis is then carried out in the presence of formula iiiia to yield the compound of formula iiib preferably this reaction can be run in a c 1 c 6 alcohol straight chain or branched methylene chloride chloroform and the like at a reduced temperature more preferably at about 0 u00b0 c or below finally the compound of formula iiib is hydrogenated to yield the isotopically labeled pyruvic acid of formula v this can.