An Efficient Synthesis of γ-Aminoacids and Attempts to Drive Its Enantioselectivity

Addition of carboxylic acid dianions to bromoacetonitrile lead, in good yields, to the corresponding γ-cyanoacids, which on hydrogenation yielded γ-aminoacids. This two step methodology improves upon previously described results. Poor e.e’s resulted from our attempts to drive the enantioselectivity of this transformation by chiral amide induction.