First highly stereoselective synthesis of anti-alpha-trifluoromethyl-beta-amino acid derivatives.
The Reformatsky-type reaction of 2-bromo-3,3,3-trifluoropropanoic imide with various types of imines, in the presence of ZnBr2 as a Lewis acid in THF at 0 degrees C for 3 h, gave the corresponding alpha-trifluoromethyl-beta-amino acid derivatives in a highly anti-selective manner.