Transesterification of amino acid ester derivatives was developed using a tetranuclear zinc cluster, Zn4(OCOCF3)6O, as the catalyst. Because the reaction conditions were very mild, a variety of N-protective groups and functional groups on side chains were tolerated.
Reaction of methyl N-Boc-N-phenoxycarbonylglycinate with various aldehydes afforded the corresponding cis-4,5-oxazolidinone derivatives, which were effectively converted to (E)-α,β-didehydroamino acids by means of a base. Furthermore, N-deprotection of the oxazolidinone derivatives and subsequent coupling reaction with Boc-amino acid furnished the corresponding dipeptides, which were transformed to dipeptide containing α,β-didehydroamino acid with high E selectivity.