Monoepoxydienes 1, derived from acyclic and cyclic conjugated dienes, react under neutral conditions with the benzophenone imine of glycine nitrile 4 in the presence of a catalytic amount of Pd(PPh3)4 (5% mol) to afford the corresponding unsaturated 6-hydroxy substituted α-amino acids 5 in a regio (1,4-addition) and stereoselective manner. However, the benzophenone imine of glycine ethyl ester 2 only