Free Radical-Mediated Aryl Amination: A Practical Synthesis of (R)- and (S)-7-Azaindoline α-Amino Acid

Two nonnatural proline derivatives, (S)- and (R)-7-azaindoline α-amino acid have been prepared and isolated as their trifluoroacetate salt on gram scale. The convergent sequence (6 steps from 2-bromopyridine) employs a combination of enantioselective phase transfer catalyzed glycine alkylation and free radical-mediated aryl amination. Implementation of the solid-liquid phase transfer conditions requires manual pulverization of cesium hydroxide,...