Abstract Unexpected results of the reductive amination of Fmoc-amino aldehydes by NaBH 3 CN are described. From glycine and Fmoc-4-t-Butoxy-tyrosinal, a small amount of double condensation product was obtained beside the initially desired product Fmoc-Tyr (OtBu)-ψ (CH 2 NH)-Gly-OH. From glycine methyl ester and Fmoc-glycinal, we only recovered the reduced peptide bond isostere, but from glycine and Fmoc-glycinal, bis (Fmoc-amino ethyl ...