Solid phase synthesis of mono- or disubstituted arginine containing peptides from an isothiocitrulline precursor

A method for the solid phase synthesis of substituted arginine containing peptides starting from an isothiocitrulline precursor is described. In this procedure, a peptide containing one or more protected ornithine residue(s) was assembled on a solid support. Following selective deprotection, ornithine residue(s) was (were) converted into S-methyl-isothiocitrulline in three steps. Subsequent reaction with primary or secondary amines afforded mono and disubstituted arginine-containing derivatives, respectively. Using lysine instead of ornithine afforded substituted homoarginine-containing derivatives.