One-pot Sequence for the Decarboxylation of α-Amino Acids

Treatment of an α-amino acid with N-bromosuccinimide in water at pH 5 or in an alcoholic-aqueous ammonium chloride mixture, followed by addition of nickel(II) chloride and sodium borohydride, effected an overall decarboxylation via an intermediate nitrile to afford the corresponding amine in good yield.