Nitrilase-catalyzed enantioselective synthesis of pyrrolidine- And piperidinecarboxylic acids

Article abstract of DOI:10.1002/adsc.200700040

The enantioselective synthesis of the nonproteinogenic amino acids β-proline and nipecotic acids from their readily available nitriles is achieved in high enantiomeric excess by commercially available nitrilases. The presented procedure comprises not more than 4 steps, thus considerably reducing the multiple steps generally required. Amide formation is also observed for specific heterocyclic nitriles.