An Improved Synthesis of Homoproline and Derivatives

Article abstract of DOI:10.1021/jo00289a058

An improved, general synthesis of substituted homoprolines has been developed by using readily available substituted pyridines (1).A key step in this synthetic procedure involves the known conversion of pyridine-N-oxides to 2-cyanopyridines (3) in nearly quantitative yields.The resulting nitriles are hydrolyzed to the corresponding pyridine-2-carboxylic acids (4).Subsequent reduction of the aromatic ring with PtO2/H2 gives the homoprolines (5) in good yields as racemic cis isomers.This procedure also can be utilized for the preparation of 5,6-benzohomoprolines fromthe appropriate quinoline precursors.The N-tert-butyloxycarbonyl (Boc) derivatives of these amino acids (useful intermediates for peptide synthesis) were also prepared in good yields.