title: Synthesis of ring-substituted N-benzyl γ-phenyl GABA derivatives via reductive amination.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  GABA derivatives are important for the development of drugs for disorders of the CNS and PNS.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We describe a simple synthesis of N-benzyl γ-phenyl-γ-aminobutyric acids, via the reductive amination of the corresponding γ-keto acids with benzylamines using ammonia borane.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This procedure provides an efficient and economical method for the synthesis of GABA derivatives.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907-2084, USA. chandran@purdue.edu
authors.forename: P Veeraraghavan
authors.initials: PV
authors.lastname: Ramachandran
authors.forename: Kaumba
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sakavuyi
authors.forename: Hitesh
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Mistry
mesh_terms: D000586:Amination; D000641:Ammonia / Q000737:chemistry; D001596:Benzylamines / Q000737:chemistry; D001880:Boranes / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D015394:Molecular Structure; D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry; D013329:Structure-Activity Relationship; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000138:chemical synthesis*
chemical_list: D001596:Benzylamines; D001880:Boranes; D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid; D000641:Ammonia