Synthesis of new enantiomerically pure N-methyl-N-arylsulfonyl-α-aminonitriles from amino acids

New enantiomerically pure N-methyl-N-arylsulfonyl-α-aminonitriles were prepared starting from the corresponding α-amino acids by way of N-methyl-N-arylsulfonyl-α-amino amides. The key step of this sequence consists of the dehydration of amides by thionyl chloride which proceeded without a significant racemization. Enantiomeric purity of nitriles was determined by HPLC analysis. © 2008 Académie des sciences.