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Studies Toward The Synthesis Of A- And B- Mercapto Alanine Derivatives, And Of A,B- And B, B- Dimercapto Alanine Derivatives, Aldean James Kolar

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

A convenient, economical, large scale synthesis of N-acetyldehydro-alanine (a-acetamidoacrylic acid) and its methyl ester was developed via a sequence of N-chlorination-dehydrochlorination. The method was extended to the synthesis of the corresponding N-benzoyl, N-phenylacetyl and N-benzyloxycarbonyl derivatives.

The conversion of a-methoxy-N-acetyl alanine derivatives to the corresponding a-mercapto alanine derivatives, using zinc chloride and an appropriate mercaptan, was investigated. Methyl a-methoxy-N-acetyl-D, L-alaninate was successfully converted to the a-acetylthio derivative, in 24% yield; however, a 90% yield could be obtained by treatment of the dehydroalanine derivative with hydrogen chloride gas in neat thiolacetic acid.

A facile conversion of the a-acetylthio derivative to the …