Efficient solution phase synthesis of [1-(beta-mercapto-beta, beta-cyclopentamethylenepropionic acid)- 2-(O-ethyl-D-tyrosine)-4-valine-9-desglycine]arginine vasopressin.

A convergent synthesis of the peptide [1-(beta-mercapto-beta, beta-cyclopentamethylenepropionic acid)- 2-(O-ethyl-D-tyrosine)-4-valine-9-desglycine]arginine vasopressin (1), based on the classical solution phase method, was developed. The molecule is assembled by a 3 + 4 coupling via the azide method; then the disulfide bridge is installed by iodine treatment of the bis-acetamidomethyl protected thiols, and the terminal arginine amide added by a 7 + 1 coupling. The method has been used to prepare gram quantities of 1 in more than 98% purity and in 13% yield (based on tetrapeptide intermediate 13) after a single stage purification. The method appears to be particularly suitable for the large scale preparation of 1 and other vasopressin congeners. A novel, albeit low level, transfer of acetamidomethyl group from the sulfur of cysteine to the asparagine amide side-chain was detected following hydrogen chloride treatment of Boc-containing intermediates.