Sodium carbonate (1.90 g, 17.93 mmol) and benzyl chloroformate (624 mg, 3.65 mmol) were sequentially added to a mixed solution of 3,3,3-trifluoro-DL-alanine (475 mg, 3.32 mmol) in 1,4-dioxane (15 mL) and water (15 mL) at 0 °C. The reaction mixture was stirred at room temperature for 5 hours. After completion of the reaction, the pH of the reaction mixture was adjusted to 2-3 with 4 M hydrochloric acid solution. the reaction mixture was extracted with ethyl acetate (50 mL x 3). The organic phases were combined, washed with saturated sodium chloride solution and dried over anhydrous sodium sulfate. The solvent was removed by concentration under reduced pressure and the residue was purified by reversed-phase fast chromatography using gradient elution with acetonitrile-water (15% to 30%, 30 min) to afford N-Cbz-2-amino-3,3,3-trifluoropropionic acid (500 mg, 54%) as a white solid. Mass spectrum (MS): m/z = 276 [M-H]-.