A practical procedure for catalytic asymmetric synthesis of opticallyactive arylglycine derivatives viaopticallyactive α-aminonitriles has been developed. The N-benzhydryl α-arylaminonitrile intermediates were prepared in excellent yield (89–99%) and enantiomeric purity (96 to >98% ee) by enantioselective cyanation of aldimines with TMSCN/iPrOH in the presence of 2.5 mol % of an easily prepared
[(1S)-1-(4-methoxyphenyl)ethyl]amine hydrochloride as a chiral auxiliary. Addition of 2-chlorobenzaldehyde to a solution of sodium cyanide and [(1S)-1-(4-methoxyphenyl)ethyl]amine hydrochloride gave diastereoisomerically pure (2S)-(2-chlorophenyl)[(1S)-1-(4-methoxyphenyl)ethyl]amino}acetonitrile hydrochloride. Cleavage of the chiral auxiliary and concomitant hydrolysis of the nitrile group then