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Updated: Jan 18, 2026

Metabolic Pathway Confirmation and Discovery Through 13C-labeling of Proteinogenic Amino Acids
Published on: January 26, 2012
Visible Light-Driven Benzylic C(sp3)-H Carboxylation Enables Synthesis of 13C-Labeled (±)-α-Amino Acids with
Hao Zhang1, Xiao-Yang Wu1, Pan-Pan Gao1
1Frontiers Science Center for Transformative Molecules, State Key Laboratory of Polyolefins and Catalysis, State Key Laboratory of Synergistic Chem-Bio Synthesis, Zhang Jiang Institute for Advanced Study, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China.
Abstract:
13C-labeled α-amino acids are important molecules in biological studies and drug development. Cost-effective synthesis of α-amino acids with a high level of 13C incorporation under mild conditions remains limited. Herein, we report the development of a benzylic C(sp3)-H carboxylation method to prepare highly 13C-labeled α-amino acids, i.e., arylglycines, using near-stoichiometric and user-friendly sodium 13C-formate. The sequential reaction pathway of in situ 13C-carbon dioxide (CO2) generation followed by C-H carboxylation via 1,2-HAT was suggested by mechanistic studies.
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