AN EFFICIENT ONE-STEP REDUCTIVEN-MONOALKYLATION OF α-AMINO ACIDS

Abstract Reactions of protection-free a-amino acids with aldehydes or ketones in the presence of sodium cyanoborohydride afforded the N-monoalkylated amino acids in inorganic salt-free form. Application of this method to the synthesis of N-alkyl derivatives of biologically important amino acids is also described.