Solid-phase peptide synthesis in water. Part 3: A water-soluble N-protecting group, 2-[phenyl(methyl)sulfonio]ethoxycarbonyl tetrafluoroborate, and its application to solid phase peptide synthesis in water

Chemical synthesis of peptides has been performed in various organic solvents, but the safe disposal of organic solvents is now an important environmental issue. Our aim is to be able to perform solid-phase peptide synthesis in water. For this, we have designed a new water-soluble N-protecting group, 2-phenyl(methyl)sulfonio]ethoxycarbonyl (Pms), and have studied its introduction onto amino acids. Pms-amino acids were prepared by treating 2-(phenylthio)ethoxycarbonyl amino acids with methyl iodide in the presence of silver tetrafluoroborate. Because sulfur-containing amino acids, such as Met and Cys, were modified by the reaction, we designed a new reagent, 2-phenyl(methyl)sulfonio]ethyl-4-nitrophenyl carbonate, to introduce the Pms group on amino acids. This reagent is a stable crystalline material and its introduction onto amino acids (including sulfur-containing amino acids) was successful. The solid-phase synthesis of Leu- and Met-enkephalin amides using Pms-protected amino acids was successfully achieved in water.