Efficient Synthesis of alpha-Aryl-/Heteroaryl-Substituted beta-Amino Acids via Ni(II) Complex through the Suzuki Coupling Reaction.

J Org Chem. 2009 Aug 7; 74(15): 5656-9Ding X, Ye D, Liu F, Deng G, Liu G, Luo X, Jiang H, Liu HWe described a synthesis method by first using chlorotrimethylsilane as the activator to brominate the Ni(II) complex of the beta-alanine Schiff's base [beta-AlaNi(II)PABA] 1 and developed it to prepare beta-amino acids 5. The procedure involves a Suzuki coupling reaction between boric acids and the bromoenone 2, followed by hydrogenation and hydrolysis. This is the first report of the application of the Ni (II) complex [beta-AlaNi(II)PABA], which represents an attractive route to afford alpha-aryl-/heteroaryl-substituted beta-amino acids.