Decarbonylative approach to the synthesis of enamides from amino acids: stereoselective synthesis of the (Z)-aminovinyl-D-cysteine unit of mersacidin.

The Pd- and Ni-promoted decarbonylation of amino acid thioesters proceeds smoothly to yield enamides. The synthesis of the (S)-(Z)-AviMeCys subunit of mersacidin, an MRSA-active lantibiotic, via this approach, is described.