A new direct method for the synthesis of enantiomerically pure protected α-amino acids

Abstract

The organozinc reagent (2), prepared from the protected β-iodo alanine derivative (3) using ultrasonic activation, is efficiently acylated using acid chlorides in the presence of (Ph₃P)₂PdCl₂ to give high yields of enantiomerically pure protected γ-keto α-amino acids (4).