Fmoc-β-alanine

During the Fmoc-protection of H-alpha-Me-Val-OH, an unknown side product was found and isolated. The characterization using various analytical methods led unambiguously to the result that Fmoc-beta-Ala-OH was formed during the reaction. The reagent Fmoc-OSu was proven to be the source of Fmoc-beta-Ala-OH, following a mechanism that involved many deprotonation and elimination steps and a Lossen-type rearrangement as key sequence. The impurity Fmoc-beta-Ala-OH was found in a variety of reactions in which Fmoc-OSu was applied, either in the reaction mixture or as a contamination of the crude product. Purification of the Fmoc-amino acid derivatives from this impurity incurred high costs and significant reductions in yield.

Substituted benzoinyl systems 8a-g, differing either in the substitution pattern, type of resin matrix used, or resin loading capacity, were prepared and the kinetics of their photolytic cleavage of Fmoc-beta-alanine examined on resin. The linker systems 6a-g were assembled in near-quantitative yield using Corey-Seebach dithiane addition. The dithiane group that serves as a safety catch against premature photoreaction was removed by either oxidation or alkylation. Analytical methods that include FTIR and (13)C gel-phase NMR spectroscopy were used for rapid reaction monitoring and sample characterization on resin. A survey of different substituted systems 8c-f for releasing Fmoc-beta-alanine confirmed that the 3-alkoxybenzoin linker photocleaves most rapidly to give the highest yield (tau(1/2) = 6.7 min; 98% yield). Lowering the resin loading from 0.59 mmol/g in 8a to 0.26 mmol/g in 8b improved the cleavage kinetics to tau(1/2) = 2.6 min, 92% yield.

The multipin peptide synthesis procedure has been adapted to allow the synthesis of peptides at micromole loadings. The original solid pin support was replaced with a detachable crown-shaped polyethylene support with an increased surface area. In addition, the polyethylene crowns were radiation-grafted with 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate monomer instead of acrylic acid to yield hydroxy functionalized supports with a larger concentration of polymer and hence a larger peptide capacity. Fmoc-beta-Alanine was directly esterified to the HEMA hydroxy groups with subsequent addition of a diketopiperazine-forming handle for peptide attachment. Peptides varying in length from 10 to 25 residues were assembled at a number of loadings from 1.0 to 2.2 mumol. Purity of peptides at all loadings was equal to, and in some instances superior to, that achieved on conventional solid-phase supports.

The dipeptide L-carnosine has a number of important biological properties. Here, we explore the effect of attachment of a bulky hydrophobic aromatic unit, Fmoc [N-(fluorenyl-9-methoxycarbonyl)] on the self-assembly of Fmoc-L-carnosine, i.e., Fmoc-β-alanine-histidine (Fmoc-βAH). It is shown that Fmoc-βAH forms well-defined amyloid fibrils containing β sheets above a critical aggregation concentration, which is determined from pyrene and ThT fluorescence experiments. Twisted fibrils were imaged by cryogenic transmission electron microscopy. The zinc-binding properties of Fmoc-βAH were investigated by FTIR and Raman spectroscopy since the formation of metal ion complexes with the histidine residue in carnosine is well-known, and important to its biological roles. Observed changes in the spectra may reflect differences in the packing of the Fmoc-dipeptides due to electrostatic interactions. Cryo-TEM shows that this leads to changes in the fibril morphology.