Synthesis of 4,4-Disubstituted L-Glutamic Acids by Enzymatic Transamination

The syntheses of optically pure 4,4-dimethyl-L-glutamic acid as well as (2S,4R)- and (2S,4S)-4-hydroxy-4-methylglutamic acids have been achieved by transamination of the corresponding 2-oxo-4,4-dimethyl- and rac-2-oxo-4-hydroxy-4-methylglutaric acids using glutamic oxalacetic transaminase (GOT).