Stereoselective synthesis of β-hydroxy-α-amino acids β-substituted with non-aromatic heterocycles

We have stereoselectively synthesised β-hydroxy-α-amino acids β-substituted with non-aromatic heterocycles by means of a condensation reaction between enantiomerically pure heterocyclic aldehydes and the (R)-(+)-2,5-dihydro-3,6-dimethoxy-2-isopropylpyrazine (Schöllkopf’s reagent) as a chiral auxiliary. The stereocontrolled addition gave mixtures of diastereoisomers whose steric configurations were assigned on the basis of spectroscopic data and X-ray analysis. Upon controlled hydrolysis, the adducts were transformed into the corresponding methyl esters of β-hydroxy-β-heterocyclic substituted α-amino acids.