A practical synthesis of 2,2-difluoro-3-amino-propanoic acid (α,α-difluoro-β-alanine)

Reformatsky reaction of ethyl bromodifluoroacetate with N,N-(dibenzyl)-1H-benzotriazolyl-1-methylamine gave fully protected α,α-difluoro-β-alanine. Hydrogenolysis and hydrolysis furnished α,α-difluoro-β-alanine. Further transformation into N-phthalimido-α,α-difluoro-β-alanine was described.