Abstract The sweet natural compound monatin 1 has two stereogenic centers, and the 2S, 4S absolute configuration has been attributed previously to the natural isomer. Among the four stereoisomers of monatin, three of them, particularly the 2R, 4R isomer, tastes intensely sweet. The conformations of the four compounds have been studied by means of molecular modelling techniques. Both the diastereoisomeric forms show strong intramolecular ...
