Synthesis of chirally pure 2,5-disubstituted diketopiperazines derived from trisubstituted phenylalanines

Some new chirally pure 2,5-substituted diketopiperazines were synthesized starting from 2-methoxybenzyl alcohol. This multistep synthesis proceeds through the enzymatic synthesis of chirally pure amino acids, protection and dipeptide coupling, cyclization of dipeptide ester formates, and nitration of the resulting diketopiperazines.