The Strecker synthesis allows obtaining amino acids from aldehydes or ketones.
![synthesis-amino acids-strecker sintesis-aminoacidos-strecker](/images/stories/organica-avanzada/productos-naturales/aminoacidos-peptidos/sintesis-strecker/sintesis-aminoacidos-strecker-01.png)
aldehyde reacts with ammonia in an acid medium to form an imine, which adds cyanide, forming a-aminonitrile , which is hydrolyzed to carboxylic acid in the last stage.
Mechanism of the first step:
Stage 1 . imine formation
![synthesis-amino acids-strecker sintesis-aminoacidos-strecker](/images/stories/organica-avanzada/productos-naturales/aminoacidos-peptidos/sintesis-strecker/sintesis-aminoacidos-strecker-02.png)
Stage 2 . cyanide addition
![synthesis-amino acids-strecker sintesis-aminoacidos-strecker](/images/stories/organica-avanzada/productos-naturales/aminoacidos-peptidos/sintesis-strecker/sintesis-aminoacidos-strecker-03.png)
Subsequent hydrolysis of the nitrile yields the amino acid.
Starting from methanal, the amino acid glycine is obtained.
![synthesis-amino acids-strecker sintesis-aminoacidos-strecker](/images/stories/organica-avanzada/productos-naturales/aminoacidos-peptidos/sintesis-strecker/sintesis-aminoacidos-strecker-04.png)