A method of synthesizing(S)-3-hydroxy--butyrolactone (HBL), the method including producing a trione using an enzymatic conversion of glucosone. The enzymatic conversion may include: mutating a domain of Aldos-2-ulose dehydratase (AUDH) to obtain a mutant AUDH; dehydrating glucosone using the mutant AUDH to obtain an intermediate, basidiopyrone P (BPP) (4,5-dihydroxy-2-(hydroxymethyl)-2H-pyran-5-one); and forming the trione from the BPP. The method may further include catalyzing the trione using a base to form an ester of 3,4-dihydroxybutyrate; and converting the ester of 3,4-dihydroxybutyrate into the HBL by adding an acid to the ester of 3,4-dihydroxybutyrate.