Design and synthesis of a protein .beta.-turn mimetic

Abstract

A nine-membered-ring lactam system (1) has been chosen as a framework for the development of non-peptide molecules to mimic structural features of peptide and protein {beta}-turns. The synthesis of model di- and tetrapeptide mimetics starting from 1,5-cyclooctadiene derivatives is reported. In the model dipeptide mimetic (9), the amide linkages is trans (NMR, X-ray) and functional groups at positions adjacent to the lactam amide bond correspond closely to the side-chain positions of residues i + 1 and i + 2 of classical type II{prime} {beta}-turns. In the model tetrapeptide mimetic (30), all four side chains of low-energy trans amide conformers of the mimetic are well matched to their peptide counterparts.