A convenient route to optically pure α-alkyl-β-(sec-amino)alanines.

The cyclization of N-Boc-α-alkylserines to corresponding β-lactones under Mitsunobu reaction conditions and the ring opening with heterocyclic amines (pyrrolidine, piperidine, morpholine and thiomorpholine) produced N-Boc-α-alkyl-β-(sec-amino)alanines. The removal of the Boc group gives di-hydrochlorides of non-protein amino acids.