A facile synthesis of (S)-gizzerosine, a potent agonist of the histamine H2-receptor

A simple and direct approach for the synthesis of (S)-gizzerosine, an amino acid responsible for the disease, black vomit, and a potent histamine H2-receptor, has been developed in 10 steps and in 31% overall yield from l-aspartic acid. The key steps involved a two-carbon homologation of an l-aspartic acid semi-aldehyde and direct alkylation of unprotected histamine with a 6-hydroxynorleucine derivative.