Synthesis and transformations of a pyrazole containing alpha, beta-didehydro-alpha-amino acid derivatives.

2H-Pyran-2-ones 1 were transformed with various hydrazines into (E)- or (Z)-alpha, beta-didehydro-alpha-amino acid (DDAA) derivatives 4 (and 7) containing a highly substituted pyrazolyl moiety attached at the beta-position. With heterocyclic hydrazines, the products 4 were accompanied also by decarboxylated enamines E-6. In order to separate (E/Z)-mixtures of acids, they were transformed to the corresponding methyl esters 9 and 10 by the application of diazomethane. Catalytic hydrogenation under high pressures with Pd/C as a catalyst resulted in the formation of racemic alanine derivatives 11.