Concept and synthetic approach for a kilogram scale synthesis of octa-d-arginine amide nonahydrochloride salt

Oligomers of arginine, such as octa-d-arginine amide, are excellent transporters for active drugs through cell membranes and tissue. The synthesis of octa-d-arginine amide, as the nonahydrochloride salt, was approached via a solution phase synthetic route involving the preparation of an octa-d-ornithine intermediate, which was then converted into the desired octa-d-arginine compound through a guanidinylation step. The multi-step synthesis was carried out at pilot scale, resulting in the preparation of 700 g of the target molecule. No chromatographic purification was needed at any step of the process.