A new and expeditious strategy for the synthesis of β-amino acids from Δ2-oxazolines

Facile synthesis of octahydrobenzo[h]isoquinolines: novel and highly potent D1 dopamine agonists

The octahydrobenzo[h]isoquinoline scaffold is of interest as a conformationally-restricted phenethylamine that may be useful for constructing biologically active products. Surprisingly, however, no tractable synthesis of this ring system has been reported. We now describe a facile method for obtaining this framework, and illustrate that our approach is easily amenable to substitutions at the 5-position. Importantly, we demonstrate that the 7,8-dihydroxy-5-phenyl-substituted ligand is an extremely potent, high-affinity, full D1 dopamine receptor-selective agonist.

Stereoselective synthesis of beta-amino acids

A convenient method for the stereoselective syntheses of beta-amino acids with alpha-substitutions has been developed. This synthetic route involves the preparation of isoxazolidinones through hydroxylamine addition to unsaturated esters and subsequent hydrogenation. This procedure is also useful for the stereoselective syntheses of alpha-deuterated beta-amino acids.