Isotope labeling of α-amino acids is a crucial tool for drug discovery and understanding biochemical processes. The goal
for this work was to develop a fast exchange condition to prepare D-[13C]phenylalanine in a short time with high incorporation of 13C isotope, which could be translated to 11C-α-amino acid. In this work the exchange reactions on preformed imine
carboxylate by using [13C]CO2 gave some evidence that the fast exchange to enable direct radiolabeling of α-amino acids,
using [11C]CO2, could be possible.
