ω-Transaminase-catalyzed asymmetric synthesis of unnatural amino acids using isopropylamine as an amino donor.

Isopropylamine is an ideal amino donor for reductive amination of carbonyl compounds by ω-transaminase (ω-TA) owing to its cheapness and high volatility of a ketone product. Here we developed asymmetric synthesis of unnatural amino acids via ω-TA-catalyzed amino group transfer between α-keto acids and isopropylamine.