An efficient synthesis of gamma-amino acids and attempts to drive its enantioselectivity.

Addition of carboxylic acid dianions to bromoacetonitrile lead, in good yields,to the corresponding gamma-cyanoacids, which on hydrogenation yielded gamma-amino acids. This two step methodology improves upon previously described results. Poor e.e's resultedfrom our attempts to drive the enantioselectivity of this transformation by chiral amide induction.