Intramolecular hydroamination of dithioketene acetals: an easy route to cyclic amino acid derivatives.

Catalytic intramolecular hydroamination of dithioketene acetals was developed for the synthesis of cyclic amino acid derivatives. Triggered by the addition of a catalytical amount of n-BuLi, the reaction proceeds to give proline and pipecolic acid derivatives in excellent yields and diastereoselectivity.