A method to prepare α,α-acyl amino acid derivatives efficiently by Cu(OTf)(2)+1,10-phenanthroline (1,10-phen)-catalyzed amination of 1,3-dicarbonyl compounds with PhI=NSO(2) Ar is described. The mechanism is thought to initially involve aziridination of the enolic form of the substrate, formed in situ through coordination to the Lewis acidic metal catalyst, by the putative copper-nitrene/imido species generated from the reaction of the metal catalyst with the iminoiodane source. Subsequent ring opening of the resultant aziridinol adduct under the Lewis acidic conditions then provided the α-aminated product. The utility of this method was exemplified by the enantioselective synthesis of a precursor of 3-styryl-2-benzoyl-L-alanine.

The reaction is proposed to proceed via initial aziridination of the substrates enol form followed by Lewis acid‐catalyzed ring opening.