An efficient synthesis of tert-butyl ethers/esters of alcohols/amino acids using methyl tert-butyl ether

A facile synthesis of a wide variety of tert-butyl ethers and tert-butyl ester derivatives under mild conditions is described. Alcohols etherified with tert-butyl methyl ether as tert-butyl source and solvent, in the presence of sulfuric acid. Many amino acid tert-butyl esters have been synthesized by this procedure. The reaction is simple, inexpensive, easily scaled up, and proceeds without observable racemization. A green method was developed for the deprotection of this group using Amberlite resin IR 120-H as catalyst.     

α-Chymotrypsin-catalyzed peptide synthesis in frozen aqueous solution using N-protected amino acid carbamoylmethyl esters as acyl donors

A kinetically controlled peptide synthesis catalyzed by α-chymotrypsin was performed in frozen aqueous solution (ice, −24 °C). The yield of the peptide was significantly improved by the use of the carbamoylmethyl (Cam) ester as the acyl donor instead of the conventional ethyl ester. The peptide yield increased up to ca. 90% when N-benzyloxycarbonyl (CBZ)-Phe-OCam and H-Phe-NH₂ were used as the acyl donor and nucleophile, respectively. Such an improvement of the peptide yield in ice was also observed in the coupling of other CBZ-amino acid Cam esters as acyl donors. Furthermore, this approach was applied to the synthesis of peptides containing d-amino acids. The peptides such as CBZ-d-Phe-Phe-NH₂, CBZ-Phe-d-Phe-NH₂ and CBZ-d-Phe-d-Phe-NH₂ were also obtained in excellent to moderate yields in ice. A high diastereoselectivity towards the l–l peptide was observed when the racemic amino acid Cam ester was used as the acyl donor in ice.     

Improved solid-phase peptide synthesis method utilizing alpha-azide-protected amino acids

[structure: see text]. Pure alpha-azido acids were prepared using an efficient diazo transfer method followed by buffered workup. These building blocks were used to prepare small peptides on Wang resin by two approaches. Peptides prone to diketopiperazine formation were prepared in good yields by coupling acids to resin bound iminophosphoranes during Fmoc-Wang synthesis. The iminophosphoranes can also be hydrolyzed under neutral conditions to provide unprotected amines ready for further coupling.     

A novel [60]fullerene amino acid for use in solid-phase peptide synthesis

[see structure]. A fullerene derivative containing a free amino group has been condensed with N-Fmoc-L-glutamic acid alpha-tert-butyl ester to give a C60-functionalized amino acid. The carboxylic end of this amino acid has been deprotected in acidic conditions, and the resulting acid has been used for solid-phase peptide synthesis. The final peptide, cleaved from the resin, was very soluble in water solutions and showed antimicrobial activity against two representative bacteria.     

Fmoc-based solid-phase synthesis of adenylylated peptides using diester-type adenylylated amino acid derivatives

Phosphodiester-type adenylylated (AMPylated) Ser, Thr, and Tyr derivatives were developed for Fmoc solid phase peptide synthesis of AMPylated peptides. One-pot/sequential reaction consisting of condensation of an N-nonprotected adenosine derivative and Fmoc-Ser/Thr/Tyr-OAllyl using allyl-N,N-diisopropylchlorophosphoramidite and subsequent oxidation with m-chloroperbenzoic acid gave phosphotriester-type AMPylated Ser/Thr/Tyr derivatives. After Pd(0)-mediated deprotection of allyl groups, the resulting phosphodiester-type AMPylated Ser/Thr/Tyr derivatives were successfully incorporated into peptides by standard Fmoc solid phase peptide synthesis without significant side reactions including dehydroalanine formation.     

The application of Nα-formyl amino acid esters in the enzyme-catalyzed peptide synthesis

The synthesis of N-formyl protected amino acid esters and their use in kinetically controlled -chymotrypsin-, trypsin- and carboxypeptidaseY-catalyzed peptide synthesis is described. Using the synthesis of H-Tyr-Ala-OH as example it is demonstrated that optically uniform products are obtained. Reaction yields are discussed with regard to the ester component employed. In comparison to commonly used -amino protecting groups in chemical peptide synthesis, N-formyl amino acid derivatives show improved solubilities in aqueous-alcoholic media.Die Synthese N-Formyl-geschützter Aminosäureester und deren Anwendung in der kinetisch kontrollierten -Chymotrypsin-, Trypsin- und CarboxypeptidaseY-katalysierten Peptidsynthese wird beschrieben. Man erhält hierbei optisch einheitliche Produkte, was anhand der Synthese von H-Tyr-Ala-OH gezeigt wurde. Reaktionsausbeuten bei Verwendung verschiedener Ester werden diskutiert. Im Verhältnis zu gängigen -Aminoschutzgruppen der chemischen Peptidsynthese weisen N-Formyl-geschützte Derivate in wäßrig-alkoholischen Medien verbesserte Löslichkeiten auf. Abbreviations: IUPAC-IUB rules for peptides are followed, see Pure Appl. Chem. (1984) 56:595.Boc=tert. butyloxycarbonyl,CT=-chymotrypsin,DCC=N,N-dicyclohexylcarbodiimide,DIPEA=diisopropylethylamine,Fmoc 9-fluorenylmethyloxycarbonyl,For=formyl, GC=gaschromatography, HOSu=N-hydroxysuccinimide, HPLC=high pressure liquid chromatography,MeCN=acetonitrile, —OMe=methyl ester, —OProp=n-propyl ester,PFPA=decafluoropropionic anhydride,T=trypsin,TBA=tetrabutylammonium hydrogen sulfate, TLC=thin layer chromatography,TMS=tetramethylsilane,Y=carboxypeptidaseY,Z=benzyloxycarbonyl.     

Fmoc solid-phase synthesis of peptide thioesters by masking as trithioortho esters

[reaction: see text] Total chemical synthesis of proteins by chemoselective ligation relies on C-terminal peptide thioesters as building blocks. Their preparation by standard Fmoc solid-phase peptide synthesis is made difficult by the lability of thioesters to aminolysis by the secondary amines used for removal of the Fmoc group. Here we present a novel backbone amide linker (BAL) strategy for their synthesis in which the thioester functionality is masked as a trithioortho ester throughout the synthesis.     

Enhanced epimerization of glycosylated amino acids during solid-phase peptide synthesis

Glycopeptides are extremely useful for basic research and clinical applications, but access to structurally defined glycopeptides is limited by the difficulties in synthesizing this class of compounds. In this study, we demonstrate that many common peptide coupling conditions used to prepare O-linked glycopeptides result in substantial amounts of epimerization at the α position. In fact, epimerization resulted in up to 80% of the non-natural epimer, indicating that it can be the major product in some reactions. Through a series of mechanistic studies, we demonstrate that the enhanced epimerization relative to nonglycosylated amino acids is due to a combination of factors, including a faster rate of epimerization, an energetic preference for the unnatural epimer over the natural epimer, and a slower overall rate of peptide coupling. In addition, we demonstrate that use of 2,4,6-trimethylpyridine (TMP) as the base in peptide couplings produces glycopeptides with high efficiency and low epimerization. The information and improved reaction conditions will facilitate the preparation of glycopeptides as therapeutic compounds and vaccine antigens.     

Light-directed maskless synthesis of peptide arrays using photolabile amino acid monomers

Novel photolabile amino acid monomers for photolithographic solid-phase peptide synthesis has been developed and a method for the maskless synthesis of individually addressable peptide microarrays using new building blocks has been described; these peptide microarrays are suitable for repetitive epitope-binding assays.     

A convenient synthesis of amino acid methyl esters

A series of amino acid methyl ester hydrochlorides were prepared in good to excellent yields by the room temperature reaction of amino acids with methanol in the presence of trimethylchlorosilane. This method is not only compatible with natural amino acids, but also with other aromatic and aliphatic amino acids.     

Caged phospho-amino acid building blocks for solid-phase peptide synthesis

Three 1-(2-nitrophenyl)ethyl-caged phospho-amino acids have been synthesized for use in standard N(alpha)-fluorenylmethoxycarbonyl-based solid-phase peptide synthesis (SPPS). The most common naturally occurring phospho-amino acids, serine, threonine, and tyrosine, were prepared as protected caged building blocks by modification with a unique phosphitylating reagent. In previous work, caged phospho-peptides were made using an interassembly approach (Rothman, D. M.; Vazquez, M. E.; Vogel, E. M.; Imperiali, B. Org. Lett. 2002, 4, 2865-2868). However, this technique is limited to creating peptides without oxidation sensitive residues C-terminal to the amino acid to be modified and the methodology involves synthetic manipulations on the solid phase that may limit the utilization of the methodology. Herein we report the facile synthesis of N-alpha-Fmoc-phospho(1-nitrophenylethyl-2-cyanoethyl)-L-serine 1, N-alpha-Fmoc-phospho(1-nitrophenylethyl-2-cyanoethyl)-L-threonine 2, and N-alpha-Fmoc-phospho(1-nitrophenylethyl-2-cyanoethyl)-L-tyrosine 3. These building blocks allow the synthesis of any caged phospho-peptide sequence using standard Fmoc-based SPPS procedures.     

Continuous-flow solid-phase peptide synthesis

We describe a simple manually operated synthesizer for solid-phase peptide synthesis (SPPS). The synthesis is performed on standard polystyrene-based resin in a flow reactor under low-pressure conditions. The usefulness of the present configuration of SPPS is exemplified on the synthesis of two octapeptide and one decapeptide amides.     

Fullerene-derivatized amino acids: synthesis, characterization, antioxidant properties, and solid-phase peptide synthesis

A series of [60]fullerene-substituted phenylalanine (Baa) and lysine derivatives have been prepared by the condensation of 1,2-(4'-oxocyclohexano)fullerene with the appropriately protected (4-amino)phenylalanine and lysine, respectively. Conversion of the imine to the corresponding amine is achieved by di-acid catalyzed hydroboration. The reduction of the imine is not accompanied by hydroboration of the fullerene cage. The [70]fullerene phenylalanine derivative has also been prepared as have the di-amino acid derivatives. The compounds were characterized by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry, UV/Vis spectroscopy, and cyclic voltammetry. 1H and 13C NMR spectroscopy allowed the observation of diastereomers. Fullerene-substituted peptides may be synthesized on relatively large scale by solid-phase peptide synthesis. The presence of the C60-substituted amino acid in a peptide has a significant effect on the secondary structures and self-assembly properties of peptides as compared to the native peptide. The antioxidant assay of Baa and a Baa-derived anionic peptide was determined to be significantly more potent than Trolox.     

Model studies on protease-catalysed peptide synthesis using 9-fluorenylmethoxycarbonyl protected amino acid derivatives

Summary Fmoc-Phe-OMe,Fmoc-Ala-OMe andFmoc-Gly-OH were coupled with H-Leu-NH₂ under catalytic action of chymotrypsin, papain and thermolysin, respectively. The influence of different reaction media and several reaction parameters, such as reactants and enzyme concentrations as well as reaction time, on the peptide bond formation was investigated. Abbreviations: IUPAC-IUB rules for peptides are followed, see (1984) Eur. J. Biochem.138: 9. All amino acids except of Gly are ofL-configuration.DMF=N,N-dimethylformamide,DTE=dithioerythritol,EDTA=ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid, disodium salt,N/C=ratio nucleophile component/carboxyl component,-OMe=methyl ester,TLC=thin layer chromatography.     

Convenient preparation of tert-butyl beta-(protected amino)esters

Refluxing an aldehyde 1 with benzotriazole and benzylcarbamate in the presence of a catalytic amount of p-TsOH gave the corresponding benzyloxycarbonylamino-1-(1-benzotriazolyl)alkane 2 in good yields. Compounds 2 treated with substituted tert-butyl acetates 3 using LDA as a base afford smoothly and under mild conditions the N-2-protected 3-aminoalkanoic esters 4.