A solution of methyl 8-aminomethyl-5,6,7,8-tetrahydro-2-naphthoate (0.78 g, 0.0036 mol) and triethylamine (0.55 mL, 0.40 g, 0.004 mol) in aqueous tetrahydrofuran (50%, 75 mL) was added, portionwise as a solid, 2-(tert-butoxycarbonyloxyimino)-2-phenylacetonitrile (0.99 g, 0.004 mol). All was stirred at ambient temperature over 3 hours. The solution was concentrated to half volume and extracted with diethylether. The aqueous layer was then acidified to a pH of 1.0 using hydrochloric acid (1N) and then extracted with ethyl acetate. The combined organic layers were dried over anhydrous magnesium sulfate and evaporated to dryness under reduced pressure. The residue was purified by flash chromatography using hexane:ethyl acetate::8:2 to give methyl N-(BOC)-8-aminomethyl-5,6,7,8-tetrahydro-2-naphthoate (0.54 g, 0.0017 mol, 47%) as a white solid. mp=72°-80° C.; 1H NMR (DMSO) d 13.8 (s, 1H), 7.8-7.65 (m, 3H), 7.6-7.5 (m, 3H), 7.25-7.20 (m, 1H), 7.15-7.05 (m, 1H), 3.9-3.8 (m, 1H), 3.2-2.8 (m, 4H), 1.8-1.6 (m, 3H), 1.4 (s, 6H).
