The aim of this project is focused on the development of innovative synthetic methodologies for the synthesis of unnatural amino acids. It would be difficult to overstate the biological importance of α-amino acids, the building blocks of life, and perhaps the most studied class of organic compounds. Besides their primary function as structural units of peptides and proteins, α-amino acids also serve countless biological functions in most living things. Nature’s exceptional utility of this unique family of compounds has inspired research into the development of novel synthetic variations of these structures for use in pharmaceutical, agricultural, and food industries. Despite developments in the study and application of these vital biological molecules, very few advances have been made in the fundamental science of their synthesis. However, progress toward a new optically active nucleophilic glycine equivalent will be presented. This will include a description of the design as well as the introduction of a new optically active ligand that is envisioned to be the backbone of the metal complex including an amino acid Schiff base.

Design and synthesis of an optically active ligand for the asymmetric preparation of non-proteinogenic amino acids

255th National Meeting (2018)

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