A new approach to N-methylaspartic, N-methylglutamic, and N-methyl-α- aminoadipic acid derivatives

N-Methylaspartic acid derivatives and its homologues are obtained by a stereoconservative one-pot procedure from hexafluoroacetone-protected aspartic and glutamic acid, 2a and 2b, respectively, α-Aminoadipic acid (5c) and its derivative 6c are accessible from the corresponding glutamic acid derivative 9b by a Wolff rearrangement. A variety of homochiral N-methylamino acids, 5 and 12, and their derivatives, 6 and 8-11, become readily available by the new synthetic concept.