Ethanol → N-Acetyl-L-phenylalanine

Participants

Reaction Steps

3.1 mg of the complex of the formula [RhCl-1,5-cyclooctadiene]2, 57 mg of the diphosphine of Example 1 and 400 cm3 of ethyl alcohol are introduced under an argon atmosphere into a reactor. The mixture is stirred for 1 hour. 66.62 g of α-acetamidocinnamic acid and 25 microlitres of triethylamine are then added and hydrogen is introduced under a pressure of 1 bar at 25° C. After 4 hours 30 minutes the hydrogenation is complete. After treatment to remove the catalyst similar to that of Example 5, N-acetylphenylalanine is obtained, after extraction, in 97% chemical yield and with an optical rotation [α]D22 of 42.5° (optical yield 82%).

Provenance & Evidence