Asymmetric synthesis of α,β-dialkyl-α-phenylalanines via direct alkylation of a chiral alanine derivative with racemic α-alkylbenzyl bromides.: A case of high enantiomer differentiation at room temperature

[GRAPHICS] This study demonstrates that the direct alkylation of a Ni(II)-complex of the chiral Schiff base of alanine with (S)-o-[N(N-benzylprolyl)amino]-benzophenone, with racemic alpha -alkylbenzyl bromides, is a synthetically feasible and methodologically advantageous approach to the target alpha,beta -dialkylphenylalanines over previously reported methods. For the first time we report and rationalize a case of a high enantiomer differentiation process at room temperature.