The Synthesis and X‐Ray Structures of the Geometric Isomers of 1‐Amino‐ 1,2‐cyclopentanedicarboxylic Acid.

The geometric isomers of 1-amino-1,2-cyclopentanedicarboxylic acid were isolated as the hydrolysis products of 2-cyclopentanecarboxylic acid-5,5′-hydantoin. The hydantoin ester was formed from ethyl -2-oxocyclopentanecarboxylate via a Bucherer–Bergs reaction. Hydrolysis of the hydantoin at elevated temperatures gave a mixture of trans- and cis-1 -amino-1,2-cyclopentanedicarboxylic acids indicating epimerization during hydrolysis. The trans product has not been described previously and the cis not extensively characterized. X-ray crystallography reveals that both isomers are zwitterionic in the solid state and the cis isomer molecules are linked by unusually strong hydrogen bonding. Structures were confirmed by 13C NMR, X-ray crystallography, and elemental analysis. Physical data are also presented.