Abstract Dl-β(2-Pyridyl)-α-alanine has been synthesized in a good yield by the condensation of α-picolyl chloride and diethyl acetamidomalonate and by the subsequent hydrolysis of the product. The N-carbobenzoxy derivative of this amino acid, quite different from 3-pyridylalanine reported by Griffith and Harwood, could easily be prepared in a good yield. Only the carbodiimide method and the N-bromosuccinimide method proved to be successful in bringing the N-carbobenzoxylated amino acid into a peptide-coupling reaction with an amine component. Other methods, i. e., the mixed anhydride method, the azide method and the p-nitrophenyl ester method, were unsuccessful. It is noteworthy that, in the former cases, the activation of the carboxyl group occurs in situ in the presence of an amine component. No difficulties were encountered in the coupling reaction of the alkyl ester of this amino acid with usual N-protected amino acids. The alkaline hydrolysis of the protected dipeptide ester afforded the N-protected peptide in a good yield. The catalytic hydrogenation could be used to remove the benzyl ester group as well as the carbobenzoxy group without any damage to the pyridine ring. Decarbobenzoxylation also proceeded smoothly with hydrogen bromide in acetic acid.