Enantioselective synthesis of epimeric cis-3-carboxycyclopentylglycines

Two epimeric chiral cyclopentylglycines (−)-16 and (+)-17, functionalised with a carboxy group cis to the amino acid group, were prepared starting from chiral 2-amino-3-oxo-norbornanecarboxylic acid derivative exo-9 by combining two classical reactions such as the Diels-Alder and retro-Claisen reactions. Compounds 16 and 17 are non-proteinogenic amino acids of biological interest containing conformational constraints in which the skeletons of both 2-aminoadipic acid and 2-aminopimelic acid are included.