Abstract

(R)-3-Aminotetradecanoic acid (iturinic acid) has been synthesized starting from dodecanoyl chloride. This new synthetic approach involved the enantioselective reduction of an ynone to the corresponding propargylic alcohol and then into a protected propargylic amine. The iturinic acid was obtained by the transformation of a (phenylseleno)acetylene intermediate into a carboxylic group followed by N-deprotection.

Keywords: β-amino acids, stereoselective synthesis, natural products, selenium, copper catalysis