Synthesis of tripeptide hydrolysate from papuamide A: determination of absolute stereostructure of β-methoxytyrosine

Four diastereomers, (2R,3R), (2S,3S), (2S,3R) and (2R,3S) at β-methoxytyrosine (β-OMeTyr), of the tripeptide hydrolysate, H-(S)-N-MeThr-β-OMeTyr-(S)-Hpr-OH, from papuamide A have been synthesized. Comparison of the 1H NMR data of the natural hydrolysate with the four synthetic diastereomers unambiguously establishes the relative and absolute stereochemistry of the methoxytyrosine as 2R,3R.