Fmoc-Cys(Trt)-O-DMP-4-OH

Herein we report the polymer-supported synthesis of 3,4-dihydro-2H-1,4-oxazine-3-carboxylic acid derivatives using immobilized Fmoc-Ser(tBu)-OH and Fmoc-Thr(tBu)-OH as the starting materials. After the solid-phase-synthesis of N-alkyl-N-sulfonyl/acyl intermediates, the target dihydrooxazines were obtained using trifluoroacetic acid-mediated cleavage from the resin. This approach was also studied for the preparation of dihydrothiazines from immobilized Fmoc-Cys(Trt)-OH. Inclusion of triethylsilane in the cleavage cocktail resulted in the stereoselective formation of the corresponding morpholine/thiomorpholine-3-carboxylic acids. Stereochemical studies revealed the specific configuration of the newly formed stereocenter and also the formation of stable N-acylmorpholine rotamers.

S-4-methoxytrityl cysteine was synthesized and converted into the corresponding Fmoc-Cys(Mmt)-OH by its reaction with Fmoc-OSu. As compared to the corresponding Fmoc-Cys(Trt)-OH, the S-Mmt-function was found to be considerably more acid labile. Quantitative S-Mmt-removal occurs selectively in the presence of groups of the tert butyl type and S-Trt by treatment with 0.5-1.0% TFA. The new derivative was successfully utilized in the SPPS of Tyr1-somatostatin on 2-chlorotrityl resin. In this synthesis groups of the Trt-type were exclusively used for amino acid side-chain protection. Quantitative cleavage from the resin and complete deprotection was performed by treatment with 3% TFA in DCM-TES (95:5) for 30 min at RT. We observed no reduction of tryptophan under these conditions.

We report an operationally simple method to facilitate chemical protein synthesis by fully convergent and one-pot native chemical ligations utilizing the fluorenylmethyloxycarbonyl (Fmoc) moiety as an N-masking group of the N-terminal cysteine of the middle peptide thioester segment(s). The Fmoc group is stable to the harsh oxidative conditions frequently used to generate peptide thioesters from peptide hydrazide or o-aminoanilide. The ready availability of Fmoc-Cys(Trt)-OH, which is routinely used in Fmoc solid-phase peptide synthesis, where the Fmoc group is pre-installed on cysteine residue, minimizes additional steps required for the temporary protection of the N-terminal cysteinyl peptides. The Fmoc group is readily removed after ligation by short exposure (<7 min) to 20 % piperidine at pH 11 in aqueous conditions at room temperature. Subsequent native chemical ligation reactions can be performed in presence of piperidine in the same solution at pH 7.