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3
Conjugate Addition
Reactions
Amines and many amine surrogates are nucleophiles in conjugate addition reactions
(the Michael reaction).
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It is therefore not surprising that they add to conjugated acid
derivatives to give amino acids. This strategic approach to their synthesis is signi-
cant, and for that reason it has been segregated into a separate chapter.
3.1 AMMONIA AND AMINE NUCLEOPHILES
Ammonia is sufciently nucleophilic that addition to the double bond of a conju-
gated ester is possible, without attack at the acyl carbon, although the conjugate
addition tends to be reversible. Amines undergo similar conjugate addition. In both
cases, ...