Efficient synthesis of β- and γ-amino acid derivatives using new functionalised zinc reagents:: enhanced stability and reactivity of β-amido zinc reagents in dimethylformamide

The new zinc reagents 3 and 4 are not sufficiently stable to be prepared efficiently in THF, but they can be prepared in DMF under mild and convenient conditions; subsequent palladium-catalysed coupling with aromatic iodides gives protected beta- and gamma-amino acids 11 and 12 in generally good yields.