2-tert-butyl-3-methyl-2,3-dihydroimidazol- 4-one-N-oxide: a new nitrone-based chiral glycine equivalent.

Cycloaddition reactions between a new homochiral imidazolone-derived nitrone afford cycloadducts in high yield and with high stereoselectivity. Subsequent cycloadduct elaboration affords the gamma-lactones of gamma-hydroxy-alpha-amino acids as well as the optically pure amino acids themselves.