β ‐Amino Acid Synthesis Using the CO 2 Radical Anion under Electrochemical and Photochemical Conditions

The development of sustainable and efficient routes to β ‐ and γ ‐amino acids is urgent due to their pivotal importance in pharmaceuticals and materials science. This study presents a novel approach utilizing the CO 2 radical anion as a key intermediate for the synthesis of β ‐ and γ ‐amino acids from N ‐Ac‐enamides and N ‐Ac‐allylamines, respectively. Both electrochemical and photochemical techniques were employed to generate the CO 2 radical anion under mild and environmentally friendly conditions. The feasibility of the synthesis of β ‐amino acids was confirmed through an automated reaction path search using the AFIR method. This work highlights the potential of CO 2 as a versatile building block in organic synthesis and provides a sustainable alternative to conventional methods for producing β ‐ and γ ‐amino acids.