Synthesis of pyrrolidine-2,4-diones using meldrum's acid / Fatin Nur Ain Abdul Rashid

Meldrum's acid is used as a catalyst in the synthesis of pyrrolidine-2,4-diones.The purpose of adding Meldrum's acid into Boc-protected amino acid is to produce an intermediate compound that can further react to produce a five membered ring compound which is Boc-pyrrolidine-2,4-diones. The various types of amino acid are used as the starting material which then are treated with Boe anhydride. Boe anhydride is used to protect the nitrogen group of amino acids and produce Boc-protected amino acids. The Boc-protected amino acids are treated with Meldrum's acid in the presence of DMAP and EDC in DCM. The mixture is refluxed with EtOAc until completion of reaction by TLC. Bocpyrrolidine-2,4-diones undergo deprotection reaction using strong acid, TFA in DCM to produce pyrrolidine-2,4-diones. The structures of pyrrolidine-2,4-diones were elucidated using modern spectroscopie technique which is nuclear NMR.