Fast and efficient synthesis of N-substituted β-aminobutyric acids by grinding at room temperature

Green chemistry is gaining increasing interest due to the growing awareness of the chemical community for sustainable development. Green chemistry solutions include synthesis without solvent and catalyst because many solvents and catalysts are toxic and expensive. Herein, we report the solvent and catalyst free method for the synthesis of N-substituted derivatives of β-aminobutyric acid by direct aza-Michael addition of amines to crotonic acid. The protocol involves simple mixing or grinding the reactants at room temperature. The β-amino acid derivatives were obtained in 82–100 % yield with a short reaction time without any tedious workup procedures. Our findings thus reveal a promising alternative to previously used procedures.