Many amido acids derived from commercially available bicyclo[2.2.1]hept 5 ene endo 2,endo 3 di carboxylic anhydride (I, endic anhydride) exhibit strong and versatile biological activity [1, 2]. We have studied the reaction of compound I with 2 methyl 2 phenylaminopropanenitrile (II) [3]. Under standard conditions for synthesis of amido acids (benzene, 20s 25 C) no amido acid III was formed over a period of 17 days, and up to 50% of initial amino nitrile II was ...