An efficient synthesis of N-arylated, orthogonally protected racemic aspartates

A brief and efficient synthesis of variously N-arylated racemic aspartates has been achieved by two consecutive reactions in one-pot, in which imine or equivalent, formed in situ from various anilines and ethyl glyoxylate, reacted with the Reformatsky reagent, tert-butyl 2-bromozinc acetate. Notably the two esters are orthogonally protected for the convenience of further derivatization.