Amino Acid Derivatives from <i>N</i>‐(Arylmethylene)dehydroalanine Methyl Esters

Abstract

Additions to azabutadienes 1 afford a route to α-aminocarboxylic acid derivatives such as 2; especially suitable is the reaction with lithium cuprates R2(CN)CuLi2. Compounds of type 1 are also of interest as models for the extremely labile N-pyridoxylidene-dehydroalanine, which plays a role in the biosynthesis of some amino acids.