Synthetic strategies to α-trifluoromethyl and α-difluoromethyl substituted α-amino acids

Abstract

The combination of the unique physical and chemical properties of fluorine with proteinogenic amino acids represents a new approach to the design of biologically active compounds including peptides with improved pharmacological parameters. Therefore, the development of routine synthetic methods which enable the effective and selective introduction of fluorine into the desired amino acids from readily available starting materials is of significant synthetic importance. The scope of this critical review is to summarize the most frequently employed strategies for the synthesis of α-difluoromethyl and α-trifluoromethyl substituted α-amino acids (114 references).