Decarboxylation of alpha-amino acids to amines [closed]








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In this reaction, what are the ideal circumstances?
[![ttt](https://i.stack.imgur.com/Iz0Vb.png)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/Iz0Vb.png)


1. Which base would be a great choice?
2. How much time does it take for tryptophan to fully decarboxylate?
3. What is the ideal temperature for this type of reaction?




Just heating with base is ineffective.
Laval and Golding [[1](https://doi.org/10.1055/s-2003-37512)] describe a general procedure for the decarboxylation of α-amino acids using *N*-bromosuccinimide and Ni(0) in aqueous solution. The yields are pretty good.


### Reference


1. Laval, G.; Golding, B. T. One-Pot Sequence for the Decarboxylation of α-Amino Acids. *Synlett* **2003**, No. 4, 0542–0546. DOI: [10.1055/s-2003-37512](https://doi.org/10.1055/s-2003-37512).


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