A simple and efficient synthesis of an Asp-Gly dipeptide mimetic

Alkylation of N^α-Boc protected aspartic acid with allyl bromide in the presence of lithium bis(trimethylsilyl)amide (LHMDS) and hexamethylphosphoramide (HMPA) afforded chiral β-allyl substituted aspartic acid in good yields. After deprotection of the N^α-Boc group and reprotection as a trifluoroacetamide, the terminal alkene was oxidized to an aldehyde. The aldehyde was then coupled with l-cysteine through a cascade three-bond formation process to afford aspartic acid-glycine bicyclic dipeptide mimetics.