Catalytic asymmetric hydrogenation of dehydroamino acid esters with biscarbamate protection was examined for the first time to prepare optically active amino acids. The new method was successfully applied to the synthesis of new cystine–glutamate exchanger inhibitors.

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A new cystine‐glutamate exchanger inhibitor was created through the development of a new catalytic asymmetric synthesis method. Rh‐catalyzed catalytic asymmetric hydrogenation of dehydro amino acid esters was expanded to the synthesis of chiral amino acid esters with bis‐carbamate protection. The new chemistry was successfully applied to the synthesis of N‐benzoyl diamino suberic acid, which showed potent inhibitory effects for cystine‐glutamate exchangers, a promising molecular target for cancer therapy. More information can be found in the Communication by T. Shinada et al. on page 5145.

Invited for the cover of this issue is Tetsuro Shinada and co‐workers at Osaka City University and Suntory Foundation For Life Science. The image depicts new catalytic asymmetric synthesis (dragon ball), designed molecules (dragon), and the molecular target (xCT) on cancer cells (tiger). Read the full text of the article at 10.1002/chem.201900289.