Enantioselective hydrogenation of alpha-aminomethylacrylates containing a free NH group for the synthesis of beta-amino acid derivatives.

We describe highly enantioselective synthesis of beta-amino acid derivatives (1a-c) using asymmetric hydrogenation of alpha-aminomethylacrylates (2a-c), which contain a free basic N H group, as the key step. The alpha-aminomethylacrylates (2a-c) were prepared using the Baylis-Hillman reaction of an appropriate aldehyde with methyl acrylate followed by acetylation of the resulting allylic alcohols (4a-b) and S(N)2'-type amination of the allylic acetates (3a-b).