A versatile route to derivatives of α-amino β-hydroxy carboxylic acids, either with tertiary (from a corresponding glycine equivalent) or a quaternary α-carbon center is described. The key reaction is the cycloaddition of electronically excited carbonyl compounds (aromatic and aliphatic aldehydes, respectively) to oxazoles. To make the products hydrolytically more labile, a methoxy substituent at position C-5 was introduced leading to the formation of ...
