Synthesis of Unnatural α-Amino Acid Derivatives via Photoredox Activation of Inert C(sp3)–H Bonds

The synthesis of unnatural, tertiary amino acids is a challenging task. While decarboxylation–radical addition has been an important strategy for their formation, the use of alkyl radicals from C(sp3)–H bonds has not been fully explored. Herein, we report a photocatalytic protocol for the synthesis of unnatural α-amino esters employing abundant alkanes and imines retaining full atom economy. When this method is applied, several amino acid derivatives are synthesized in moderate to good yields.