α-Alkylation of α-amino esters by using a pyridoxal model compound having a Li+-ionophore character

Article abstract of DOI:10.1016/0040-4020(96)00704-1

Synthesis of α,α-dialkyl-α-amino esters by α-alkylation of aldimines prepared from a novel pyridoxal model compound was studied. The α-alkylation of the aldimines having an ethoxy-ethoxy group at C-3 proceeded most rapidly when LiOH was employed as a base and gave α,α-dialkyl-α-amino esters after hydrolysis. The chelated structure composed of the aldimine and Li⁺ was also revealed by ¹H-NMR analysis.