The effect of benzyl amine on the efficiency of the base-catalyzed transamination of α-keto esters

This paper describes the effect of benzyl amine on the base-catalyzed transamination of α-keto esters. Among various benzyl amines examined, o-HOC6H4CH2NH2 was found to be highly effective for the reaction, affording a wide variety of α-amino esters in good yields. The o-OH group of the benzyl amine facilitates the transamination process likely via H-bond. Moderate enantiomeric excess was obtained for α-amino ester when a quinine derived catalyst was used.