A Reliable Enantioselective Route to Mono-Protected N1-Cbz Piperazic Acid Building Block

The chiral N1-Cbz, N2-H derivative of the piperazic acid monomer is a valuable building block in the total synthesis of natural products, comprising this nonproteinogenic amino acid. In that context, we wish to report an improved synthetic protocol for the synthesis of both (3R)- and (3S)-piperazic acids bearing the carboxybenzyl protecting group (Cbz) selectively at the N1 position. Our method builds on previously reported protocols, circumventing their potential shortcomings, and optimizing the ultimate selective deprotection at the N2 position, thus, offering an efficient and reproducible pathway to suitably modified piperazates in high optical purity.