Racemic and enantiomerically pure �-amino-�-trifluoromethyl alcohols were obtained via sequential nucleophilic trifluoromethylation of selected �-imino ketones, derived from arylglyoxals, and subsequent removal of the MeO or Ph(Me)CH substituent, respectively, located at the N-atom. The obtained products, containing a primary amino group, were used for the synthesis of imidazole N-oxides bearin...

Activation of primary alcohols in the presence KO t Bu/DMF allowed synthesis N -heteroarenes via alkylation C(sp 3 )–H bond methyl azaarenes. A mechanism involving formation an alkyl formate intermediate is proposed.

An acid-catalysed Ritter reaction of chiral secondary benzylic alcohols enables diastereoselective access to chiral amides, which represent inter alia valuable intermediates for the synthesis of chiral 1,2-diamines and beta-amino acids.

The wax ester synthase/acyl coenzyme A (acyl-CoA):diacylglycerol acyltransferase (WS/DGAT) catalyzes the final steps in triacylglycerol (TAG) and wax ester (WE) biosynthesis in the gram-negative bacterium Acinetobacter sp. strain ADP1. It constitutes a novel class of acyltransferases which is fundamentally different from acyltransferases involved in TAG and WE synthesis in eukaryotes. The enzym...