Step 1: Synthesis of ethyl 3-benzylamino-3-methylbutanoate
Ethyl 3-methyl-2-butenoate (19.3 g, 0.151 mol) was dissolved in ethanol (150 mL), benzylamine (16.2 g, 0.151 mol) was added, and the reaction mixture was heated and refluxed for 24 hours. After completion of the reaction, the mixture was concentrated under reduced pressure. The residue was purified by distillation to afford the target product ethyl 3-(benzylamino)-3-methylbutyrate as a colorless oil (7.48 g, 21% yield). The structure of the product was confirmed by 1H-NMR (400 MHz, CDCl3): δ1.24 (6H, s), 1.26 (3H, t, J=7.3 Hz), 2.51 (2H, s), 3.72 (2H, s), 4.14 (2H, q, J=7.3 Hz), 7.20-7.38 (5H, m).
