A two-step practical synthesis of dehydroalanine derivatives

A two-step practical synthesis of dehydroalanine derivatives from commercially available starting materials is reported. The approach comprises an Ugi four-component reaction using 2-benzoylacetaldehyde, followed by an elimination process of the benzoate group. This protocol provided access to several dehydroalanine derivatives modified with diverse functional groups, which might be useful for further transformations in the construction of more complex molecules.