Enantioselective synthesis of α-alkyl,α-vinyl amino acids via [2,3]-sigmatropic rearrangement of selenimides.

Chiral α-alkyl,α-vinyl amino acids (quaternary vinyl glycine derivatives) are prepared with high levels of enantiomeric purity by [2,3]-sigmatropic rearrangement of allylic selenimides. The required trisubstituted allylic selenides are prepared by an organocatalytic α-selenenylation of aldehydes followed by Horner-Wadsworth-Emmons (HWE) olefination. Both (E)-and (Z)-geometrical isomers are available giving access to both enantiomers of the desired products.