Highly stereoselective conjugate addition of an enantio-pure metalated β-amino substituted amino nitrile to α, β-unsaturated esters, with subsequent silver nitrate induced hydrolysis of the amino nitrile adducts affords 3-substituted 5-amino-4-oxo-esters with high enantiomeric purity, thus achieving the overall asymmetric Michael addition of an α-amino-acyl carbanion.
