Highly functionalised organolithium and organoboron reagents for the preparation of enantiomerically pure α-amino acids

Homochiral, highly functionalised organolithium reagents derived from l-serine have been generated and reacted with electrophiles. The novel enantiomerically pure adducts thus obtained were then converted, through β-amino alcohols, into novel non-proteinogenic α-amino acids. The methodology also made available a novel boronic acid which was then employed as a Suzuki cross-coupling partner, elaborating a new pathway to phenylalanine analogues.