Several strategies for the synthesis of a-trifluoromethyl substituted a-aminoacids and a-hydroxyacids with organometallic moieties in the side chain are described. The preparative potential of organometallic substituents (organosilicon, organotin, and organocobalt moieties) offers a convenient methodology for the synthesis of highly functionalized a-aminoacid and a-hydroxyacid derivatives.a-Trifluoromethyl substituted a-aminoacids play an important role as suicide inhibitors of pyridoxal phosphate dependent enzymes [3,4]. Furthermore, the trifluoromethyl substituent exerts a considerable effect on the conformational flexibility [ 5 ] and the chemical or metabolic stability of peptides [6] formed with these aminoacids. The lipophilicity of the trifluoromethyl group renders these aminoacids efficient carriers of polar groups through membranes.Recent studies on the introduction of organometallic moieties into estradiol derivatives revealed that, in certain cases, the binding affinity to the receptor is retained [7]. Organometallic moieties as sidechains of aminoacids (e.g., ferrocenyl aminoacids) have already been described [S] .Besides potential therapeutic effects, certain organometallic moieties in the side chain of amino-