B. Alcaide et al., Unusual reaction of azetidine-2,3-diones with primary amines. Straightforward asymmetric synthesis of alpha-amino acid and peptide derivatives, CHEM COMMUN, (9), 2000, pp. 757-758
An unprecedented one-step synthesis of unnatural alpha-amino acid and pepti
de derivatives, in both the racemic and optically pure forms, using azetidi
ne-2,3-diones as building blocks has been developed by treatment with prima
ry amines.