Employing lactams for the unprecedented enantiopure synthesis of non-natural amino acid derivatives

The enantiopure non-natural amino acids(1) have been synthesized by insitu generation of iminium and iminium triflates from lactams using triflic anhydride in pyridine buffered media. These molecules with remote chiral centers may be useful in synthesis of natural product particularly Kopsia derived alkaloids. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.