Arylation of Diethyl Acetamidomalonate with Diaryliodonium Salts En Route to α-Arylglycines

Diethyl acetamidomalonate (DEAM) has been widely used for the synthesis of α-amino acids via C-alkylation under basic conditions followed by hydrolysis/decarboxylation. In contrast, the C-arylation of this reagent remains undeveloped. Herein, we report a novel strategy for the synthesis of racemic α-arylglycines based on the selective arylation of DEAM with diaryliodonium salts under mild, transition metal-free conditions. The reaction features good functional group tolerance and easy scalability and is applicable to the chemoselective C-H-modification of arenes including approved drugs, thus enabling a straightforward approach to complex α-arylglycines that would be challenging to make otherwise.