Catalytic Enantioselective Synthesis of β-Amino Acids
The group of Davies at Buffalo (NY) has found that a rhodium catalyst can insert into a C-H bond of an NMe group, and this methodology can be used to prepare β-amino acids via a novel C-C bond formation (Davies HMC et al, Angew Chem Int Edn, 2002, 41, 2197). Interestingly, with allylic methylamines (Boc-protected), the diazocompound inserts into the CH3 group rather than the allyl group. Cbz protection can be used instead of Boc, but Fmoc and Teoc gave lower yields.
