Disclosed are compounds having the structure: ##STR00001## wherein R.sup.1a and R.sup.1b are independently H, alkyl, F, or fluoroalkyl; wherein R.sup.2a, R.sup.2b, R.sup.2a', and R.sup.2b' are independently H, alkyl, F, fluoroalkyl, aryl, or alkenyl; wherein R.sup.3 is OH, alkoxyl, NH.sub.2, alkylamino, or dialkylamino; wherein R.sup.4a and R.sup.4b are independently H, alkyl, acyl, or alkyloxycarbonyl; wherein R.sub.11, R.sub.12, R.sub.13, R.sub.21, R.sub.22, and R.sub.23 are independently H, alkyl, F, or fluoroalkyl; and wherein C0, C1, C2, and C2' are independently chiral or achiral. Also disclosed are processes for making a fluorinated .beta.-amino acid comprising the steps of: providing a diol; treating the diol with a thionyl halide with oxidative workup; reacting the product with an azide salt to yield an azido group; oxidizing the product to yield a carboxyl group; and reducing the azido group to yield an amino group. This abstract is intended as a scanning tool for purposes of searching in the particular art and is not intended to be limiting of the present invention.