Efficient Enantioselective Synthesis of (alpha)-Hydroxy-?-amino Acids Using the Claisen and Curtius Rearrangements

Highly enantioselective and facile synthesis of (alpha)-hydroxy-?-amino acids has been achieved using the Claisen and ­Curtius rearrangements as key reactions. Chiral allylic alcohols were employed, which can be prepared by asymmetric catalysis in both E- and Z-forms; both anti- and syn-(alpha)-hydroxy-?-amino acids have been synthesized.