Practical and Efficient Synthesis of Orthogonally Protected α‐2,3‐Diaminopropionic Acid (2,3‐Dap), 2,4‐Diaminobutanoic Acid (2,4‐Dab), and their N‐Methylated Derivatives

The synthesis of orthogonally protected Fmoc‐Dap/Dab (Boc/Z/Alloc)‐OH starting from Fmoc‐Asp/Glu has been described. The salient features of our synthetic strategy involved formation of Fmoc‐Asp/Glu‐5‐oxazolidinone acids, conversion of acid function to acyl azides, Curtius rearrangement, and hydrolysis of the oxazolidinone group.     

Microwave-assisted guanidinylation in solid phase peptide synthesis: comparison of various reagents

The guanidinylation of a peptide chain on a polymeric support under microwave conditions using derivatives of thioureas—S-alkylisothioureas, pyrazole-carboxamidine, and guanidine as guanidinylating reagents is described. The best results are obtained with N,N′-di-Z-S-methylisothiourea and N,N′-di-Z(2-Cl)-S-methylisothiourea. It is found that guanidinylation with reagents containing Boc groups is accompanied by side reactions.     

Synthesis and biological activity evaluation of dolastatin 10 analogues with N-terminal modifications

We have described the synthesis of the two complex units (2R,3R,4S)-dolaproine (Dap) and (3R,4S,5S)-dolaisoleuine (Dil) of dolastatin 10 from natural amino acids. The stereoselective syntheses of N-Boc-Dap (4a) and N-Boc-(2S)-iso-Dap (4b) were performed by employing crotylation of N-Boc-l-prolinal as a key step. Barbier-type allylation of N-Boc-l-isoleucinal provided a mild and convenient approach for the synthesis of N-Boc-Dil (5a) and N-Boc-(3S)-iso-Dil (5b). Ten dolastatin 10 analogues have been designed and synthesized with N-terminal modifications based on the known compound monomethylauristatin F (MMAF, 3). In comparison with MMAF (3), four of the compounds showed enhanced potency against HCT 116 human colon cancer cells in vitro.