AMINO ACID ANALOGUES AND METHODS FOR THEIR SYNTHESIS

A method for the synthesis of an amino acid analogue or a salt, solvate, derivative, isomer or tautomer thereof comprising the steps of: (i) subjecting an amino acid containing a metathesisable group to metathesis with a compound containing a complementary metathesisable group of formula (I) or (II): (Formulae (I), (II)) wherein R1 and R2 are independently selected from H and substituted or unsubstituted C1 to C4 alkyl; each R3 is either absent or independently selected from a heteroatom, a substituted or unsubstituted C1 to C20 alkyl, and a substituted or unsubstituted C1 to C20 alkyl group interrupted by one or more heteroatoms; and each X is independently selected from H and an effector molecule; in the presence of a reagent to catalyse the metathesis to form a dicarba bridge between the amino acid containing a metathesisable group and the compound containing a complementary metathesisable group; and (ii) reducing the dicarba bridge to form a saturated dicarba bridge, wherein the reagent used to catalyse step (i) also catalyses step (ii).