Asymmetric Transamination of α-Keto Acids Catalyzed by Chiral Pyridoxamines.

A new type of novel chiral pyridoxamines 3a-g containing a side chain has been developed. The pyridoxamines displayed catalytic activity and promising enantioselectivity in biomimetic asymmetric transamination of α-keto acids, to give various α-amino acids in 47-90% yields with up to 87% ee's under very mild conditions. An interesting effect of the side chain on enantioselectivity was observed in the reaction.

Chiral Pyridoxal-Catalyzed Asymmetric Biomimetic Transamination of α-Keto Acids.

A series of chiral pyridoxals 8 and 9 have been developed from commercially available pyridoxine and (S)-α,α-diarylprolinols. The pyridoxals exhibited good catalytic activity in an asymmetric transamination of α-keto acids with 2,2-diphenylglycine (7f) as the amine source to give various α-amino acids in 29-85% yields with 53-80% ee's. The current asymmetric transamination has successfully mimicked a complete biological transamination process characterized by two half-transaminations, a small chiral pyridoxal molecule acting as the catalyst, and enantioselective control.