Convenient access to β-substituted cysteines and β- and γ-mercapto prolines

Herein we describe a convenient method for the synthesis of the β-substituted Cys analogs 1a, b and trans-β-mercapto proline 1c, from their corresponding α,β-unsaturated-α-amino esters using p-methoxybenzyl mercaptan as the sulfur source. The intermediate β-thioethers are stable toward chromatographic purification, and after global deprotection the β-mercapto amino acids 1a–c are obtained in good to high yields (64%–99%).