Palladium-catalyzed alkylation of unactivated C(sp³)-H bonds with primary alkyl iodides at room temperature: Facile synthesis of β-alkyl α-amino acids

An efficient protocol for the synthesis of β-alkyl α-amino acids via palladium-catalyzed β-C(sp³)-H alkylation of aminoquinoline-coupled phthaloyl alanine is developed. The new TFA-promoted reaction conditions provide excellent C-H alkylation reactivity with alkyl iodides bearing moderately electronwithdrawing groups at room temperature. A range of β-alkyl α-amino acid products, including some difficult to access by other means, can be quickly prepared from readily available primary alkyl iodides and alanine precursors.