A new synthetic strategy to obtain alpha-phenylamino acids in enantiom
erically pure form is described. The new route is based on the highly
diastereoselective alkylation of (1S,2R,4R)-10-dicyclohexylsulfamoylis
obornyl 2-phenylcianoacetate and subsequent Curtius type rearrangement
of the alkylated compound with total retention of configuration.