A facile synthesis of optically pure amines by reduction of N-acyl-.ALPHA.-methoxyalkylamines derived from .ALPHA.-amino acids using triethylsilane.

Optically pure amines were synthesized effectively by Lewis acid-catalyzed triethylsilane reduction of N-acyl-α-methoxyalkylamines which were readily obtained by anodic oxidation of N-acyl-α-amino acids. This method was also applied to the conversion of an N-acylpeptide into the corresponding optically pure amine derivative.