Advances in the Asymmetric Synthesis of α-Amino-acids

The review deals with the advances in the asymmetric synthesis of α-amino-acids. Depending on the nature of the asymmetric reactions, the subject matter has been divided into two parts: asymmetric synthesis of α-amino-acids by catalytic hydrogenation and condensation methods of asymmetric synthesis. The principal characteristics of the asymmetric syntheses have been assessed as a function of various factors: the type of catalyst, the structure of the substrates, and the solvent. Much attention has been devoted to theoretical concepts which make it possible to understand the reasons for the occurrence of a new dissymmetric centre and the dependence of its configuration on that of the asymmetrising agent. The bibliography includes 85 references.