New synthetic routes to α-amino acids and γ-oxygenated α-amino acids. Reductive denitration and oxidative transformations of γ-nitro-α-amino acids

Transformation of γ-nitro-α-amino acid derivatives into α-amino acids by reductive denitration, into the γ-oxo-α-amino acids by ozonolysis of the corresponding amino acid ester nitronate derivatives, and into γ-hydroxy-α-amino acid derivatives by subsequent reduction of the oxo functionality, can be achieved in good yields. As the γ-nitro-α-amino acid derivatives are prepared from N,O-protected dehydroalanines derivable from the corresponding alanine, serine and cysteine derivatives by specific routes, the overall procedures provide a means for selective conversion of these simple α-amino acids into more complex ones.