Organocatalytic Asymmetric Biomimetic Transamination: From α-Keto Esters to Optically Active α-Amino Acid Derivatives

This paper describes an effective chiral base-catalyzed biomimetic transamination of α-keto esters using simple benzyl amines. A wide variety of α-amino esters containing various functional groups can be synthesized in high enantioselectivity and reasonable yield.