A practical and efficient protocol for the three-step synthesisof (
S)-
N-ethoxycarbonyl--methylvaline
3 is described whichutilizes readily available commercial starting materials. Thekey transformations involve resolution-crystallization oftartrate salt
6 followed by a one-pot procedure for thepreparation of
3 which is isolated as the dicyclohexylaminesalt in 45% overall yield and in 91-95% ee.