A new and improved variant of the palladium-catalyzed amidocarbonylation1) to yield N-acyl- α-aminoacids is described. Using Pd/C as catalyst the products were prepared in good to excellent yields (up to 98%). Advantages of the Pd/C-catalyst with regard to former catalyst systems are demonstrated by the preparation of N-substituted non-natural amino acids which are of current interest as structural units of peptoids.
