Dynamic Kinetic Resolution of α-Amino Acid Esters in the Presence of Aldehydes

A convenient procedure for the racemization of α-amino acid esters in the presence of catalytic amounts of salicylaldehydes is described. The combination of this racemization protocol with lipase-catalyzed ester hydrolysis allows successful dynamic kinetic resolution of various α-amino acid esters. The corresponding α-amino acids are obtained in high yield and optical purity.(© Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2008)