The directed cleavage of substituted 1-phenylethylamines: A novel route to enantiomerically pure β-amino acid esters and β-lactams

Article abstract of DOI:10.1055/s-1991-26583

An efficient novel access to enantiomerically pure β-amino acid esters and β-lactams (e.g., methyl (3S,4S)-1-(tert-butyldimethylsilyl-4-methyl-2-oxoazetidine-3-carboxylat e) from optically active 1-arylethylamines is described. Regiospecific cleavage is performed by Birch reduction and subsequent ozonolysis.