Asymmetric synthesis of amino acids via the catalytic reduction of substituted acylaminoacrylic acid azlactone derivatives

We have studied the reaction of ²-oxazolin-5-ones with R-phenylglycine methyl ester in the presence of PdCl₂; the reaction gives phenylalanine or valine dipeptide derivatives with the RS-configuration. The presence of triethylamine during the reductive aminolysis of oxazolinones in dimethoxyethane solvent significantly increases the stereoselectivity of the reaction process. The stepwise mechanism of the reaction has also been explored.Translated from Izvestiya Akademii Nauk SSSR, Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 4, pp. 818–822, April, 1990.