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Updated: Jul 19, 2026

Enzymatic Cascade Reactions for the Synthesis of Chiral Amino Alcohols from L-lysine
Published on: February 16, 2018
(S,S)-(+)-Pseudoephedrine as chiral auxiliary in asymmetric conjugate addition and tandem conjugate
Efraim Reyes1, Jose L Vicario, Luisa Carrillo
1Departamento de Química Organica II, Facultad de Ciencia y Tecnología, Universidad del País Vasco/Euskal Herriko Unibertsitatea, P.O. Box 644, E-48080 Bilbao, Spain.
Abstract:
Organolithium reagents undergo highly regio- and diastereoselective 1,4-addition to (S,S)-(+)-pseudoephedrine enamides furnishing the corresponding beta-alkyl-substituted adducts in excellent yields and diastereoselectivities. In addition, the intermediate lithium enolates generated after the conjugate addition step undergo a highly diastereoselective alkylation reaction, furnishing alpha,beta-dialkyl-substituted amides in high yields. The obtained adducts have been converted into chiral nonracemic beta-alkyl- and alpha,beta-dialkyl-substituted carboxylic acids and gamma-alkyl- and beta,gamma-dialkyl-substituted alcohols using very simple and high-yielding procedures.
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