Some of the amino acid chemistry going on in the Laboratory of Amino acids, Peptides and Proteins

Some of the chemistry of amino acids going on in our laboratory (Laboratoir e des Amino acides Peptides et Proteines) is described as well as some mass spectrometry methodology for their characterization particularly on solid supports. Several aspects are presented including: (i) the stereoselective synthesis of natural and unnatural amino acids using 2-hydroxypinan-3-one a s chiral auxiliary; (ii) the stereoselective synthesis of natural and unnat ural amino acids by deracemization of alpha-amino acids via their ketene de rivatives; (iii) the synthesis of alpha-aryl-alpha-amino acids via reaction of organometallics with a glycine cation; (iv) the diastereoselective synt hesis of glycosyl-alpha-amino acids; (v) the synthesis of beta-amino acids using alpha-aminopyrrolidinopiperazinediones as chiral templates; (vi) the reactivity of urethane-N-protected N-carboxyanhydrides. To characterize nat ural and non natural amino acids through their immonium ions by mass spectr ometry, some methodology is also immonium described.