The Salk Institute for Biological Studies

Harry A Anderson

Jean E Rivier

John S Porter

Wayne D Kornreich

Wylie W Vale, Jr

Peptide N-alkylamides, and other C-terminal N-substituted amides, can be synthesized using solid-phase synthesis on a benzene-containing resin which is suitably methylated. Reactive amino groups are attached directly or indirectly to the methyl groups, for example, such as by reacting commercially available chloromethylated polystyrene resins with an alkylamine to create a resin-amine. The C-terminal amino acid of the desired peptide is linked to the resin-amine via an amide linkage, and the peptide is thereafter built in normal fashion. Treatment of the completed peptide intermediate with HF is effective to both effect deprotection and cleave the peptide from the resin in the form of the N-substituted amide. Examples include peptide N-ethylamides, N-fluoroethylamide, N-anilides and other substituted N-benzylamides.

Synthesis of N-substituted peptide amides

GnRH peptide analogs which regulate the secretion of gonadotropins by the pituitary gland and either promote or inhibit the release of steroids by the gonads. Administration of an effective amount of a GnRH antagonist prevents ovulation of female mammalian eggs and/or the release of gonadotropins. Administration of GnRH agonists can be used to regulate fertility in male and female mammals. These and other peptide hormones exhibit improved binding efficiency and biological potency as a result having a residue in a critical, generally central location in the chain which residue contains a mixed alkyl ketone side-chain terminating in an aromatic group. Methods for efficiently synthesizing these peptides from readily available compounds are disclosed.

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Harry A Anderson