Convenient synthesis of deuterated glutamic acid,proline and leucine via catalytic deuteration of unsaturated pyroglutamate derivatives

Novel 3,4‐didehydropyroglutamate derivatives, the key intermediates in this synthesis, were obtained from a protected pyroglutamate by the well‐known selenenylation‐oxidative deselenenylation method and were catalytically deuterated using a slow‐addition technique. The obtained deuterated pyroglutamates were converted to [3,4‐²H₂]glutamic acid, [3,4,5‐²H₃]proline, and [3,4,5,5,5‐²H₅]leucine via an appropriate functional group interconversions followed by the standard deprotection procedure. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.