Abstract: | Summary. (RS)-2-tert-Butyldimethylsilyl-1,2-thiazetidine-3-acetic acid 1,1-dioxide prepared from (RS)-S-benzyl--homocysteine was condensed via DCC/NHS with various L-amino acid esters or dipeptide esters yielding N-silylated -sultam peptides. A -sultam active ester was isolated as an intermediate. Desilylation with TBAF in THF yielded stable N-unsubstituted products, and deprotection of the benzyl esters was achieved by catalytic hydrogenation. (S)-S-Benzyl--homocysteine was obtained by fractional crystallization of the brucine salt of the racemate and transformed into benzyl (S)-1,2-thiazetidine-3-acetate, which was on the other hand synthesized by an enantiospecific route from -benzyl Boc-L-aspartate. Some -sultam peptides were prepared from the (S)-enantiomer, and finally some -sultam peptides containing D-Ala units were obtained. |