Transition-metal-free decarboxylation of dimethyl malonate: an efficient construction of α-amino acid esters using TBAI/TBHP

Abstract

A transition-metal-free decarboxylation coupling process for the preparation of α-amino acid esters, which succeeded in merging hydrolysis/decarboxylation/nucleophilic substitution, is well described. This strategy uses commercially available inexpensive starting materials, catalysts and oxidants and has a wide substrate scope and operational simplicity.