Integrated Flow Synthesis of α-Amino Acids by In Situ Generation of Aldimines and Subsequent Electrochemical Carboxylation

The synthesis of alpha-amino acids was carried out in a continuous flow system. In this system, aldimines were efficiently generated in situ via the dehydration-condensation of aldehydes with anilines in a desiccant bed column filled with 4 angstrom molecular sieves desiccant, followed by reaction with CO2 in an electrochemical flow microreactor to afford the alpha-amino acids in high to moderate yields. The present system can provide alpha-amino acids without using stoichiometric amounts of metal reagents or highly toxic cyanide reagents.

Automated summary

The synthesis of alpha-amino acids was efficiently carried out in a continuous flow system without the need for stoichiometric amounts of metal reagents or highly toxic cyanide reagents, producing high to moderate yields.