Triethylamine → (-)-N-Acetylphenylalanine

Participants

Reaction Conditions

Reaction Steps

0.005 m-mole of rhodium-dinorbornadieneperchlorate, 0.0065 m-mole of (2S,4S)-N-tert.-butoxycarbonyl-2-bis(3,5-dimethyl-4-methoxyphenyl)phosphinomethyl-4-bis(3,5-dimethyl-4-methoxyphenyl)phosphinopyrrolidine (Ii) and 0.25 m-mole of triethylamine were dissolved in 20 ml of ethanol and 5 m-mol of α-acetamidocinnamic acid was added to the solution. The mixture was stirred for 20 hours at 50° C. and under a hydrogen pressure of 20 atm. The reaction mixture was concentrated under reduced pressure and then dissolved in 0.5N aqueous solution of caustic soda. Insolubles were filtered off and the filtrate was made acid with diluted hydrochloric acid and extracted with ether. The organic layer was washed with water and dried. The solvent was distilled off to obtain optically active (R)-N-acetylphenylalanine. Conversion 100%; optical yield 98%.

Provenance & Evidence