Fukuyama-Mitsunobu alkylation in amine synthesis on solid phase revisited: N-alkylation with secondary alcohols and synthesis of curtatoxins

The Fukuyama-Mitsunobu amination strategy has emerged as an efficient means of N-alkylation of peptides and sulfonamides, as well as a method for synthesis of polyamines on solid phase. Here, an array of reagent combinations for solid-phase alkylation with secondary alcohols was examined in various solvents. The classical reagents DEAD-PPh₃ as well as DEAD-PEt₃ proved applicable for a single alkylation step. Sharply dropping yields in successive alkylation steps were identified as the most serious limitation of the use of Fukuyama-Mitsunobu reaction in SPS of polyamines using primary and in particular secondary alcohols.