<?xml version="1.0" encoding="ASCII"?><!DOCTYPE article PUBLIC "-//BEILSTEIN-INSTITUT//DTD Journal Article DTD v0.4.4 20130724//EN" "https://www.beilstein-journals.org/bjoc/content/xml/journalarticle.v044.dtd">
<article locale="en" public-id="1860-5397-4-39" publisher="Beilstein-Institut" journal="Beilstein Journal of Organic Chemistry" journal-abbreviated="Beilstein J. Org. Chem." journal-code="bjoc" issn="1860-5397" coden="BJOCBH" year="2008" volume="4" article="39" type="full-research-paper">
<author first-name="Vladimir" middle-names="V" last-name="Ryakhovsky" affiliations="a1"/>
<author first-name="Georgy" middle-names="A" last-name="Khachiyan" affiliations="a1"/>
<author first-name="Nina" middle-names="F" last-name="Kosovova" affiliations="a1"/>
<author first-name="Elena" middle-names="F" last-name="Isamiddinova" affiliations="a1"/>
<author first-name="Andrey" middle-names="S" last-name="Ivanov" email="chemistyle@gmail.com" affiliations="a1" corresponding-author="yes"/>
<affiliation id="a1" institution-required="yes">R&amp;D Dept., Pharm-Sintez, 38 Shosse Entusiastov, 111123 Moscow, Russia</affiliation>
<submission-date day="3" month="9" year="2008" hour="0" minute="0"/>
<acceptance-date day="19" month="10" year="2008" hour="0" minute="0"/>
<publication-date day="30" month="10" year="2008" hour="0" minute="0"/>
<title>
<chunk>The first preparative solution phase synthesis of melanotan&#160;II</chunk>
</title>
<keyword>
<chunk>melanotan&#160;II</chunk>
</keyword>
<keyword>
<chunk>solution phase synthesis</chunk>
</keyword>
<keyword>
<chunk>peptide synthesis</chunk>
</keyword>
<abstract-section>
<paragraph>
<chunk>Melanotan&#160;II is a synthetic cyclic heptapeptide used to prevent a sunlight-induced skin cancer by stimulating the skin tanning process. In this paper we report the first solution phase synthesis of the title compound. The hexapeptide sequence has been assembled by [(2+2)+1+1] scheme. After removing the orthogonal protection, a carbodiimide mediated lactamization, involving the &#949;-amino group of lysine and &#947;-carboxy group of aspartic acid, led to a cyclic intermediate. Appending </chunk>
<chunk italic="yes">N</chunk>
<chunk>-acetylnorleucine concluded the assembly of melanotan&#160;II molecule. Protection of the lateral groups in arginine and tryptophan was omitted for atom and step economy reasons. The total synthesis of melanotan&#160;II was accomplished in 12 steps with 2.6% overall yield, affording &gt;90% pure peptide without using preparative chromatography.</chunk>
</paragraph>
</abstract-section>
<abstract-graphic public-id="1860-5397-4-39-graphical-abstract"/>
<external-link type="doi" public-id="10.3762/bjoc.4.39"/>
<section>
<title>
<chunk>Introduction</chunk>
</title>
<paragraph>
<chunk>Development of solid phase peptide synthesis methodology </chunk>
<link target="b1"/>
<chunk>, recombinant techniques for expressing peptides and proteins in microorganisms </chunk>
<link target="b2"/>
<chunk>, and most recently methods for producing peptides and proteins in transgenic animals </chunk>
<link target="b3"/>
<chunk> and plants </chunk>
<link target="b4"/>
<chunk>, have greatly increased the availability of peptide compounds. However, the classical solution phase approach still retains its usefulness, especially when performed on a large scale. Novel powerful solvent systems combined with special protection tactics allow for even proteins to be synthesized in solution. The 136-residue human pleiotrophin and the 238-residue </chunk>
<chunk italic="yes">Aequoria</chunk>
<chunk> green fluorescent protein are examples of such syntheses </chunk>
<link target="b5"/>
<chunk>. Most of the approved peptide pharmaceuticals are currently produced by chemical synthesis in solution including oxytocin, adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), desmopressin, leuprolide, goserelin, and octreotide </chunk>
<link target="b6"/>
<chunk>. There is no account of a solution phase synthesis of melanotan&#160;II. The present paper describes a classical approach to this important therapeutical heptapeptide in full detail. Special attention is paid to minimum orthogonal protection of lateral functional groups to achieve maximum atom </chunk>
<link target="b7"/>
<link target="b8"/>
<chunk> and step </chunk>
<link target="b9"/>
<chunk> economy.</chunk>
</paragraph>
<paragraph>
<chunk>&#945;-Melanocyte stimulating hormone (&#945;-MSH, &#945;-melanotropin) is a linear tridecapeptide of the formula Ac-Ser-Tyr-Ser-Met-Glu-His-Phe-Arg-Trp-Gly-Lys-Pro-Val-NH</chunk>
<chunk italic="yes" subscript="yes">2</chunk>
<chunk> (</chunk>
<chunk bold="yes">1</chunk>
<chunk>), involved in the regulation of skin pigmentation. Production of this hormone is stimulated by irradiation of skin by the sun&#8217;s ultraviolet rays. The &#945;-MSH triggers the skin tanning, a process in which skin tanning cells (melanocytes) produce skin tanning pigment (melatonin). Since tan is a body&#8217;s natural protection against the ultraviolet, stimulation of melanogenesis process with exogenic hormone prior to irradiation would be a good protection against the UV-induced skin cancer. Unfortunately, the native hormone, &#945;-MSH, was found to be too unstable </chunk>
<chunk italic="yes">in vivo</chunk>
<chunk> to be used as a therapeutical agent. Once the tetrapeptide Ac-His-Phe-Arg-Trp-NH</chunk>
<chunk subscript="yes">2</chunk>
<chunk> was identified as a &#8220;message sequence&#8221; of melanotropin, responsible for minimal physiological action in the frog </chunk>
<link target="b10"/>
<chunk> and lizard </chunk>
<link target="b11"/>
<chunk>, a wide range of analogs was synthesized by the group of V.&#160;Hruby at University of Arizona </chunk>
<link target="b12"/>
<link target="b13"/>
<link target="b14"/>
<link target="b15"/>
<link target="b16"/>
<link target="b17"/>
<link target="b18"/>
<link target="b19"/>
<chunk> and other research groups </chunk>
<link target="b20"/>
<link target="b21"/>
<link target="b22"/>
<link target="b23"/>
<chunk>. Modification of the &#945;-MSH structure, including replacement of the oxidizable L-methionine with isosteric L-norleucine, replacement of L-phenylalanine with its enantiomer D-phenylalanine, and locking of the linear peptide sequence in its biologically active conformation by lactamization of the lysine &#949;-amino group and glutamic acid &#947;-carboxy group, led to a cyclic pseudopeptide analog of &#945;-MSH with good metabolic stability and exceptional activity, known as melanotan&#160;II (</chunk>
<chunk bold="yes">2</chunk>
<chunk>) (</chunk>
<link target="f1"/>
<chunk>).</chunk>
</paragraph>
<float target="f1"/>
</section>
<section>
<title>
<chunk>Results and Discussion</chunk>
</title>
<paragraph>
<chunk>To date, several accounts of solid phase synthesis of peptide </chunk>
<chunk bold="yes">2</chunk>
<chunk> have been reported. A representative one, reported by Hruby and co-workers, exploited </chunk>
<chunk italic="yes">p</chunk>
<chunk>-methylbenzhydrylamine resin (pMBHA) as the solid support and </chunk>
<chunk italic="yes">tert</chunk>
<chunk>-butyloxycarbonyl (Boc) tactics for temporary protection of &#945;-amino groups. The &#949;-amino group of lysine and the &#947;-carboxy group of aspartic acid, involved in lactamization, were protected as the base-cleavable Fmoc amide and Fm ester respectively. After synthesizing the peptide chain and cleavage of the base-labile protecting groups, an efficient on-resin cyclization was performed using an excess of BOP as the coupling agent. Attaching of </chunk>
<chunk italic="yes">N</chunk>
<chunk>-Boc-norleucine, removal of Boc, acetylation of norleucine amino group with acetic anhydride, HF mediated cleavage of the resulting peptide from the polymer support, and finally purification using RP-HPLC afforded the target compound </chunk>
<chunk bold="yes">2</chunk>
<chunk> in 55&#8211;60% overall yield </chunk>
<link target="b18"/>
<link target="b24"/>
<chunk>. The yield dropped to 30% when lactamization of the linear heptapeptide sequence, synthesized on the resin, was performed in DMF solution using DPPA/K</chunk>
<chunk subscript="yes">2</chunk>
<chunk>HPO</chunk>
<chunk subscript="yes">4</chunk>
<chunk>.</chunk>
</paragraph>
<paragraph>
<chunk>Despite the high overall yield in the described solid phase approach, it has several drawbacks for the scale-up process such as the application of the highly toxic and corrosive hydrogen fluoride for cleavage of the peptide from the resin, low loading (0.30&#8211;0.35 mmol/g of resin) proved necessary for successful on-resin cyclization, and the use of excess amounts of reagents (3-fold of DIC, 2.4-fold of HOBt, etc.) on each step.</chunk>
</paragraph>
<paragraph>
<chunk>Our plan for the solution phase synthesis of peptide </chunk>
<chunk bold="yes">2</chunk>
<chunk> was based on the [(2+2)+1+1] scheme for assembly of the linear hexapeptide backbone using benzyloxycarbonyl (Z) group as the temporary protection for amino acids&#8217; </chunk>
<chunk italic="yes">N</chunk>
<chunk>-termini (</chunk>
<link target="s1"/>
<chunk>). The presence of aspartic acid in the target molecule poses a potential problem, due to its susceptibility to base-catalyzed cyclization to aspartimide. Esterification of &#947;-carboxy group does not fully protect aspartic acid from this unwanted process </chunk>
<link target="b25"/>
<chunk>. Aspartimides are known to readily racemize under basic conditions </chunk>
<link target="b26"/>
<chunk>, and undergo ring-opening reactions with nucleophiles, leading to formation of a variety of by-products. Thus, attack of nucleophiles yields predominately &#946;-aspartyl peptide derivatives. This deleterious side process usually takes place when the synthesis is based on Fmoc tactics, wherein large excess secondary amines are employed for deprotection </chunk>
<link target="b27"/>
<link target="b28"/>
<link target="b29"/>
<chunk>. Bearing this in mind, we postponed appending aspartic acid to a late stage of the synthesis, used only equimolar quantities of </chunk>
<chunk italic="yes">N</chunk>
<chunk>-methylmorpholine (NMM) when a base was required for a reaction, and avoided any base-cleavable protecting groups, such as Fmoc or formyl. Despite concerns that the indole nitrogen would be susceptible to attack by </chunk>
<chunk italic="yes">tert</chunk>
<chunk>-butyl cation generated upon Boc-group cleavage, we found that protection of indole nitrogen in tryptophan could be omitted from this process without substantial deterioration of the product yield or purity. That allowed us to decrease the overall length of the synthesis by two steps. The &#949;-amino group of lysine and the &#947;-carboxy group of aspartic acid were protected as Boc amide and </chunk>
<chunk italic="yes">tert</chunk>
<chunk>-butyl ester respectively. Thus, all the protecting groups we used were cleavable either under acidic or hydrogenolytic conditions, releasing only volatile by-products, and all the reagents used were relatively inexpensive. These two points are very advantageous for the preparative synthesis. Another feature of our synthetic plan was to keep the side-chain functionality of arginine unprotected. In order to suppress the nucleophilic nature of the guanidine group in arginine, it was deactivated as the monohydrochloride salt over the course of 4 steps, and then as trifluoroacetate for another 2 steps. A similar method for arginine deactivation had been applied earlier in the first solution-phase synthesis of ACTH </chunk>
<link target="b30"/>
<chunk>.</chunk>
</paragraph>
<float target="s1"/>
<paragraph>
<chunk>The assembly of the melanotan&#160;II molecule was started by coupling of </chunk>
<chunk italic="yes">N</chunk>
<chunk superscript="yes">&#949;</chunk>
<chunk>-Boc-lysinamide (</chunk>
<chunk bold="yes">3</chunk>
<chunk>) with </chunk>
<chunk italic="yes">N</chunk>
<chunk superscript="yes">&#945;</chunk>
<chunk>-benzyloxycarbonyltryptophan pentafluorophenyl ester to yield dipeptide </chunk>
<chunk bold="yes">4</chunk>
<chunk> (</chunk>
<link target="s1"/>
<chunk>). Cleavage of the Z protecting group afforded dipeptide </chunk>
<chunk bold="yes">5</chunk>
<chunk>. Reaction of arginine with </chunk>
<chunk italic="yes">N</chunk>
<chunk superscript="yes">&#945;</chunk>
<chunk> -Z-D-phenylalanine pentafluorophenyl ester led to a protected dipeptide </chunk>
<chunk bold="yes">6</chunk>
<chunk>. Since arginine exists in DMF solution in zwitterionic form, no protection for highly basic guanidine group was required. The guanidine group of arginine was deactivated for the next 4 steps by adding an equivalent of HCl (dioxane solution) to dipeptide </chunk>
<chunk bold="yes">6</chunk>
<chunk>. The resulting salt was coupled with another dipeptide </chunk>
<chunk bold="yes">5</chunk>
<chunk> using a combination of </chunk>
<chunk italic="yes">N</chunk>
<chunk>,</chunk>
<chunk italic="yes">N</chunk>
<chunk>&#8242;-dicyclohexylcarbodiimide (DCC) and </chunk>
<chunk italic="yes">N</chunk>
<chunk>-hydroxynorbornene-2,3-dicarboximide (HONb) to yield a tetrapeptide product </chunk>
<chunk bold="yes">7</chunk>
<chunk>. The latter was subjected to catalytic hydrogenolysis leading to tetrapeptide salt </chunk>
<chunk bold="yes">8</chunk>
<chunk> with an uncapped N-terminus. Hydrochloride of tetrapeptide </chunk>
<chunk bold="yes">8</chunk>
<chunk> was coupled with His(</chunk>
<chunk italic="yes">N</chunk>
<chunk superscript="yes">&#945;</chunk>
<chunk>-Boc,</chunk>
<chunk italic="yes">N</chunk>
<chunk superscript="yes">T</chunk>
<chunk>-Z)-OPfp in methyl alcohol to produce pentapeptide </chunk>
<chunk bold="yes">9</chunk>
<chunk>. Further chain elongation was effected by de-blocking the N-terminus in pentapeptide </chunk>
<chunk bold="yes">9</chunk>
<chunk> and coupling of the resulting product with </chunk>
<chunk italic="yes">t</chunk>
<chunk>-butyl </chunk>
<chunk italic="yes">N</chunk>
<chunk superscript="yes">&#945;</chunk>
<chunk>-benzyloxycarbonylaspartate to give hexapeptide </chunk>
<chunk bold="yes">10</chunk>
<chunk>. One-step cleavage of all acid-labile groups with excess of trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) yielded the tris-trifluoroacetate salt of deprotected linear hexapeptide </chunk>
<chunk bold="yes">11</chunk>
<chunk> with all prerequisites for cyclization. The cyclization step, involving the &#949;-amino group of lysine and &#947;-carboxy group of aspartic acid, was performed using an 8-fold excess of DCC as the coupling agent and 1-hydroxybenzotriazole (HOBt) as a racemization suppressant. The yield of the cyclized product </chunk>
<chunk bold="yes">12</chunk>
<chunk> was 31%, very close to the reported 30% yield for solution-phase cyclization of a related linear heptapeptide obtained by solid phase peptide synthesis </chunk>
<link target="b18"/>
<chunk>. The total synthesis of melanotan&#160;II was concluded by coupling </chunk>
<chunk italic="yes">N</chunk>
<chunk>-acetylnorleucine to the cyclic hexapeptide using a combination of DCC and HONb (</chunk>
<link target="s1"/>
<chunk>). The target compound </chunk>
<chunk bold="yes">2</chunk>
<chunk> obtained was &gt;90% pure by HPLC (UV). LC-MS analysis confirmed the identity of molecular masses and retention times for the synthesized product and melanotan&#160;II purchased from a commercial source. Electrospray injection mass spectrometry of both samples demonstrated two characteristic peaks with </chunk>
<chunk italic="yes">m/z</chunk>
<chunk> 512 and 1024, corresponding to [M+2H]</chunk>
<chunk superscript="yes">2+</chunk>
<chunk> and [M+H]</chunk>
<chunk superscript="yes">+</chunk>
<chunk> respectively.</chunk>
</paragraph>
</section>
<section>
<title>
<chunk>Conclusion</chunk>
</title>
<paragraph>
<chunk>In conclusion, we have developed the first solution phase synthesis of the cyclic heptapeptide melanotan&#160;II in 2.6% overall yield for 12 steps. Full-scale optimization of the process is being investigated and the results will be reported in due course.</chunk>
</paragraph>
</section>
<section>
<title>
<chunk>Experimental</chunk>
</title>
<paragraph>
<chunk>A melanotan&#160;II sample was purchased from Fluorochem Ltd. (Cat. code M02830). All reagents and solvents were obtained from commercial sources except for the protected pentafluorophenyl esters: </chunk>
<chunk superscript="yes">&#945;</chunk>
<chunk>Z-Trp-OPfp, Z-D-Phe-OPfp, Z-His(</chunk>
<chunk superscript="yes">T</chunk>
<chunk>Boc)-OPfp, </chunk>
<chunk superscript="yes">&#945;</chunk>
<chunk>Z-Lys(</chunk>
<chunk superscript="yes">&#949;</chunk>
<chunk>Boc)-NH2, and Z-Asp(O</chunk>
<chunk italic="yes" superscript="yes">t</chunk>
<chunk>Bu)OPfp, which were prepared in-house according to the well established procedures </chunk>
<link target="b31"/>
<link target="b32"/>
<chunk>. Diethyl ether and tetrahydrofuran were distilled from sodium wire prior to use, and showed negative peroxide test with potassium iodide. </chunk>
<chunk superscript="yes">1</chunk>
<chunk>H&#160;NMR spectra were recorded with a Bruker AMX-360 spectrometer. LC-MS analysis was performed on Agilent 1200 instrument with Agilent&#160;6310 ion trap LC-MS detector.</chunk>
</paragraph>
<section>
<title>
<chunk>Z</chunk>
<chunk>-</chunk>
<chunk>Trp</chunk>
<chunk>-</chunk>
<chunk>Lys</chunk>
<chunk>(</chunk>
<chunk superscript="yes">&#949;</chunk>
<chunk>Boc</chunk>
<chunk>)-</chunk>
<chunk>NH</chunk>
<chunk subscript="yes">2</chunk>
<chunk> (</chunk>
<chunk bold="yes">4</chunk>
<chunk>)</chunk>
</title>
<paragraph>
<chunk>Z-Trp-OPfp (160 g, 317.2 mmol) was added to a stirred solution of </chunk>
<chunk italic="yes">N</chunk>
<chunk superscript="yes">&#949;</chunk>
<chunk>-Boc-lysinamide (61.4 g, 250.3 mmol) in 1.5 L of THF/MeOH (4 : 1 v/v). After an hour of stirring at r.t., the solvent was removed under vacuum, the residue stirred in hexane-ether (9 : 1 v/v), and the precipitate filtered off. The crude product, containing some pentafluorophenol and Z-Trp-OPfp, was re-suspended in 2&#160;L of ethyl acetate/hexane (1 : 1 v/v), stirred for 1 h, filtered, and air-dried to provide the 95% pure product (147.5 g, 260.7 mmol). Yield 96%. ESI-MS: </chunk>
<chunk italic="yes">m/z</chunk>
<chunk> 566.5 [M+H]</chunk>
<chunk superscript="yes">+</chunk>
<chunk>. </chunk>
<chunk superscript="yes">1</chunk>
<chunk>H&#160;NMR (DMSO-d</chunk>
<chunk subscript="yes">6</chunk>
<chunk>): &#948; 10.78 (s, 1H, NH</chunk>
<chunk subscript="yes">indole</chunk>
<chunk>); 7.87 (d, 1H, </chunk>
<chunk italic="yes">J</chunk>
<chunk> = 8.28); 7.63 (d, 1H, </chunk>
<chunk italic="yes">J</chunk>
<chunk> = 8.28); 6.9&#8211;7.4 (m, 11H, 9CH</chunk>
<chunk subscript="yes">Ph,indole</chunk>
<chunk>, 2NH); 6.68 (br s, 1H); 4.95 (s, 2H, </chunk>
<chunk underline="yes">CH</chunk>
<chunk underline="yes" subscript="yes">2</chunk>
<chunk>Ph); 4.30 (m, 1H, &#945;CH Trp); 4.17 (m, 1H, &#945;CH Lys); 3.2&#8211;2.70 (m, 4H, &#946;CH</chunk>
<chunk subscript="yes">2</chunk>
<chunk> Trp, &#949;CH</chunk>
<chunk subscript="yes">2</chunk>
<chunk> Lys); 1.37 (s, 9H, </chunk>
<chunk italic="yes" superscript="yes">t</chunk>
<chunk>Bu); 1.0&#8211;1.65 (m, 6H, &#946;,&#947;,&#948;CH</chunk>
<chunk subscript="yes">2</chunk>
<chunk> Lys).</chunk>
</paragraph>
</section>
<section>
<title>
<chunk>H</chunk>
<chunk>-</chunk>
<chunk>Trp</chunk>
<chunk>-</chunk>
<chunk>Lys</chunk>
<chunk>(</chunk>
<chunk superscript="yes">&#949;</chunk>
<chunk>Boc</chunk>
<chunk>)-</chunk>
<chunk>NH</chunk>
<chunk subscript="yes">2</chunk>
<chunk> (</chunk>
<chunk bold="yes">5</chunk>
<chunk>)</chunk>
</title>
<paragraph>
<chunk>Pd(OH)</chunk>
<chunk subscript="yes">2</chunk>
<chunk> (4 g) was added to a solution of </chunk>
<chunk bold="yes">4</chunk>
<chunk> (147 g, 260.0 mmol) in methanol (2&#160;L), and the mixture was stirred at r.t. overnight under the hydrogen atmosphere. The solvent was removed under reduced pressure, and the residue was stirred with diethyl ether, filtered, and air-dried to give 89 g of the product. Yield 79%. ESI-MS: </chunk>
<chunk italic="yes">m/z</chunk>
<chunk> 432.3 [M+H]</chunk>
<chunk superscript="yes">+</chunk>
<chunk>. </chunk>
<chunk superscript="yes">1</chunk>
<chunk>H NMR (DMSO-d</chunk>
<chunk subscript="yes">6</chunk>
<chunk>): &#948;&#160;10.83 (s, 1H, NH</chunk>
<chunk subscript="yes">indole</chunk>
<chunk>); 7.96 (d, 1H, </chunk>
<chunk italic="yes">J</chunk>
<chunk> = 8.28 Hz); 7.56 (d, 1H, </chunk>
<chunk italic="yes">J</chunk>
<chunk> = 7.92 Hz); 7.34 (s, 1H); 7.33 (d, 1H, </chunk>
<chunk italic="yes">J</chunk>
<chunk> = 8.28); 7.17 (s, 1H); 7.06 (t, 1H, </chunk>
<chunk italic="yes">J</chunk>
<chunk> = 7.92 Hz); 6.99 (s, 1H);&#160;6.96 (t, 1H, </chunk>
<chunk italic="yes">J</chunk>
<chunk> = 7.92 Hz, CH</chunk>
<chunk subscript="yes">arom</chunk>
<chunk>); 6.71 (br s, 1H, NH); 4.20 (m, 1H, &#945;CH); 3.48 (m, 1H, &#945;CH); 3.15&#8211;2.7 (m, 4H, &#946;CH</chunk>
<chunk subscript="yes">2</chunk>
<chunk> Trp, &#949;CH</chunk>
<chunk subscript="yes">2</chunk>
<chunk> Lys); 1.37 (s, 9H, </chunk>
<chunk italic="yes" superscript="yes">t</chunk>
<chunk>Bu); 1.0&#8211;1.8 (m, 6H, &#946;,&#947;,&#948;CH</chunk>
<chunk subscript="yes">2</chunk>
<chunk> Lys).</chunk>
</paragraph>
</section>
<section>
<title>
<chunk>Z</chunk>
<chunk>-</chunk>
<chunk>D</chunk>
<chunk>-</chunk>
<chunk>Phe</chunk>
<chunk>-</chunk>
<chunk>Arg</chunk>
<chunk>-</chunk>
<chunk>OH</chunk>
<chunk> (</chunk>
<chunk bold="yes">6</chunk>
<chunk>)</chunk>
</title>
<paragraph>
<chunk>L-arginine (87.3 g, 501 mmol) and Z-D-Phe-OPfp (240 g, 516&#160;mmol) were dissolved in DMF (1.5 L) and the solution was stirred for 20 h at r.t. The solvent was removed under vacuum, and the residue partitioned in 1.3&#160;L of chloroform/water (3.3 : 1 v/v). The chloroform layer was separated, washed with water (0.3 L), dried over magnesium sulphate, and evaporated to dryness. The residue was stirred with ether, filtered and air-dried to give 220 g of dipeptide </chunk>
<chunk bold="yes">6</chunk>
<chunk>. Yield 89%. ESI-MS: </chunk>
<chunk italic="yes">m/z</chunk>
<chunk> 456.3 [M+H]</chunk>
<chunk superscript="yes">+</chunk>
<chunk>. </chunk>
<chunk superscript="yes">1</chunk>
<chunk>H NMR (DMSO-d</chunk>
<chunk subscript="yes">6</chunk>
<chunk>): &#948;&#160;8.82 (br s, 1H, NH); 7.50&#8211;7.75 (m, 5H, 5NH); 7.10&#8211;7.35 (m, 10H, 2Ph); 4.94 (dd, 2H, O</chunk>
<chunk underline="yes">CH</chunk>
<chunk underline="yes" subscript="yes">2</chunk>
<chunk>Ph); 4.27 (m, 1H, &#945;CH&#160;D-Phe); 3.97 (m, 1H, &#945;CH&#160;Arg); 2.73 (t, 1H, </chunk>
<chunk underline="yes">CH</chunk>
<chunk underline="yes" subscript="yes">2</chunk>
<chunk>Ph Phe); 1.55&#8211;1.7 (m, 2 H, CH</chunk>
<chunk subscript="yes">2</chunk>
<chunk>&#160;Arg); 1.38 (t, 2H, CH</chunk>
<chunk subscript="yes">2</chunk>
<chunk>&#160;Arg).</chunk>
</paragraph>
</section>
<section>
<title>
<chunk>Z</chunk>
<chunk>-</chunk>
<chunk>D</chunk>
<chunk>-</chunk>
<chunk>Phe</chunk>
<chunk>-</chunk>
<chunk>Arg</chunk>
<chunk>(</chunk>
<chunk>HCl</chunk>
<chunk>)-</chunk>
<chunk>Trp</chunk>
<chunk>-</chunk>
<chunk>Lys</chunk>
<chunk>(</chunk>
<chunk superscript="yes">&#949;</chunk>
<chunk>Boc</chunk>
<chunk>)-</chunk>
<chunk>NH</chunk>
<chunk italic="yes" subscript="yes">2</chunk>
<chunk> (</chunk>
<chunk bold="yes">7</chunk>
<chunk>)</chunk>
</title>
<paragraph>
<chunk>A solution of HCl in dioxane (17%, 50.3 mL as calculated from the acid-base titration of product </chunk>
<chunk bold="yes">6</chunk>
<chunk> obtained from the previous step) was added dropwise to a stirred solution of protected dipeptide </chunk>
<chunk bold="yes">6</chunk>
<chunk> (134.5 g, 295.3 mmol) in DMF (800 mL) at 7 &#176;C. Then HONb (79.4 g, 179.2 mmol) and dipeptide </chunk>
<chunk bold="yes">5</chunk>
<chunk> (115.8 g, 268.5 mmol) were added, and the mixture was stirred for several minutes. A solution of DCC (61 g, 295 mmol) in DMF (220 mL) was added dropwise while stirring, and the mixture was stirred overnight at r.t. The precipitate of </chunk>
<chunk italic="yes">N</chunk>
<chunk>,</chunk>
<chunk italic="yes">N</chunk>
<chunk>&#8242;-dicyclohexylurea (DCU) was filtered off, washed with cold DMF, and the combined DMF solutions were evaporated to dryness under vacuum. The residue was partitioned in of water/ethyl acetate/THF system at 40 &#176;C (0.6 : 0.6 : 0.7 L). The organic layer was separated and washed with water (0.6 L). The combined aqueous solutions were extracted with THF/ethyl acetate (0.5 : 0.5 L), and the combined organic layers were evaporated to dryness. The residue was stirred with ether (1 L), filtered, and dried to provide 185 g of the product. Yield 69%.</chunk>
</paragraph>
</section>
<section>
<title>
<chunk>H</chunk>
<chunk>-</chunk>
<chunk>D</chunk>
<chunk>-</chunk>
<chunk>Phe</chunk>
<chunk>-</chunk>
<chunk>Arg</chunk>
<chunk>(</chunk>
<chunk>HCl</chunk>
<chunk>)-</chunk>
<chunk>Trp</chunk>
<chunk>-</chunk>
<chunk>Lys</chunk>
<chunk>(</chunk>
<chunk superscript="yes">&#949;</chunk>
<chunk>Boc</chunk>
<chunk>)-</chunk>
<chunk>NH</chunk>
<chunk subscript="yes">2</chunk>
<chunk> (</chunk>
<chunk bold="yes">8</chunk>
<chunk>)</chunk>
</title>
<paragraph>
<chunk>Protected tetrapeptide </chunk>
<chunk bold="yes">7</chunk>
<chunk> (239 g, 263.9 mmol) was dissolved in methanol (1.4 L), and Pd(OH)</chunk>
<chunk subscript="yes">2</chunk>
<chunk> (6.6 g) was added. The mixture was stirred at r.t. under hydrogen atmosphere. Pd(OH)</chunk>
<chunk subscript="yes">2</chunk>
<chunk> was removed by filtration, and the filtrate was evaporated under vacuum, the residue was dissolved in THF at 40 &#176;C, the solution was cooled to r.t., and the product was precipitated by addition of ethyl acetate (1.6 L). The precipitate was filtered, re-suspended in ether, filtered, and air-dried to give 170.5&#160;g of the crude material. Yield 84%. ESI-MS: </chunk>
<chunk italic="yes">m/z</chunk>
<chunk> 735.6 [M+H]</chunk>
<chunk superscript="yes">+</chunk>
<chunk>.</chunk>
</paragraph>
</section>
<section>
<title>
<chunk>Z</chunk>
<chunk>-</chunk>
<chunk>His</chunk>
<chunk>(</chunk>
<chunk>Boc</chunk>
<chunk>)-</chunk>
<chunk>D</chunk>
<chunk>-</chunk>
<chunk>Phe</chunk>
<chunk>-</chunk>
<chunk>Arg</chunk>
<chunk>(</chunk>
<chunk>HCl</chunk>
<chunk>)-</chunk>
<chunk>Trp</chunk>
<chunk>-</chunk>
<chunk>Lys</chunk>
<chunk>(</chunk>
<chunk superscript="yes">&#949;</chunk>
<chunk>Boc</chunk>
<chunk>)-</chunk>
<chunk>NH</chunk>
<chunk subscript="yes">2</chunk>
<chunk> (</chunk>
<chunk bold="yes">9</chunk>
<chunk>)</chunk>
</title>
<paragraph>
<chunk>A solution of tetrapeptide hydrochloride </chunk>
<chunk bold="yes">8</chunk>
<chunk> (34 g, 44.1 mmol) in methanol was added to Z-His(</chunk>
<chunk superscript="yes">T</chunk>
<chunk>Boc)-OPfp (22.2 g, 48.8 mmol). After 5 min of stirring the resulting solution was left in the fridge overnight. Methanol was removed under reduced pressure, the residue triturated with ether, filtered, dissolved in chloroform at 40 &#176;C (900 mL), and washed with water (2 &#215; 900 mL). The organic layer was separated, dried over magnesium sulphate, and evaporated to dryness under vacuum. The residue was stirred with ether, filtered, and air-dried to provide 32 g of the crude product. Yield 70%. Purity 85% by HPLC.</chunk>
</paragraph>
</section>
<section>
<title>
<chunk>Z</chunk>
<chunk>-</chunk>
<chunk>Asp</chunk>
<chunk>(</chunk>
<chunk>O</chunk>
<chunk superscript="yes">t</chunk>
<chunk>Bu</chunk>
<chunk>)-</chunk>
<chunk>His</chunk>
<chunk>(</chunk>
<chunk>Boc</chunk>
<chunk>)-</chunk>
<chunk>D</chunk>
<chunk>-</chunk>
<chunk>Phe</chunk>
<chunk>-</chunk>
<chunk>Arg</chunk>
<chunk>(</chunk>
<chunk>HCl</chunk>
<chunk>)-</chunk>
<chunk>Trp</chunk>
<chunk>-</chunk>
<chunk>Lys</chunk>
<chunk>(</chunk>
<chunk superscript="yes">&#949;</chunk>
<chunk>Boc</chunk>
<chunk>)-</chunk>
<chunk>NH</chunk>
<chunk subscript="yes">2</chunk>
<chunk> (</chunk>
<chunk bold="yes">10</chunk>
<chunk>)</chunk>
</title>
<paragraph>
<chunk>The crude product </chunk>
<chunk bold="yes">9</chunk>
<chunk> (32 g, 30.69 mmol), obtained from the previous step, was dissolved in methanol (600 mL), then Pd(OH)</chunk>
<chunk subscript="yes">2</chunk>
<chunk> (1 g) was added and the mixture was hydrogenated with hydrogen while stirred at r.t. for 24&#160;h. To the reaction mixture, containing deprotected pentapeptide hydrochloride and Pd(OH)</chunk>
<chunk subscript="yes">2</chunk>
<chunk>, was added a solution of Z-Asp(</chunk>
<chunk superscript="yes">&#947;</chunk>
<chunk>O</chunk>
<chunk italic="yes" superscript="yes">t</chunk>
<chunk>Bu)-OPfp (26.3 g) in THF (150&#160;mL), and the resulting mixture was stirred for 1 h at r.t. The solvent was evaporated under vacuum, the residue stirred with ether, filtered, washed with ether, and dried. The raw material was partitioned in THF/ethyl acetate/water (1.2 L, 1 : 1 : 1 v/v/v), the organic layer was separated and dried over magnesium sulphate. The solution was loaded over silica gel (150 g) and the impurities were eluted with chloroform. The product was eluted with chloroform/methanol (2 : 1). The solution was evaporated under vacuum, the residue stirred with ether, filtered, and dried to give the product (18.5 g). Yield 50%.</chunk>
</paragraph>
</section>
<section>
<title>
<chunk>Z</chunk>
<chunk>-</chunk>
<chunk>Asp</chunk>
<chunk>-</chunk>
<chunk>His</chunk>
<chunk>-</chunk>
<chunk>D</chunk>
<chunk>-</chunk>
<chunk>Phe</chunk>
<chunk>-</chunk>
<chunk>Arg</chunk>
<chunk>-</chunk>
<chunk>Trp</chunk>
<chunk>-</chunk>
<chunk>Lys</chunk>
<chunk>-</chunk>
<chunk>NH</chunk>
<chunk subscript="yes">2</chunk>
<chunk>&#183;</chunk>
<chunk>3CF</chunk>
<chunk subscript="yes">3</chunk>
<chunk>COOH</chunk>
<chunk> (</chunk>
<chunk bold="yes">11</chunk>
<chunk>)</chunk>
</title>
<paragraph>
<chunk>The fully protected hexapeptide </chunk>
<chunk bold="yes">10</chunk>
<chunk> (71.5 g, 58.90 mmol) was dissolved in TFA (180 mL), and the mixture was maintained at 21&#176;C for 40 min. The product was precipitated with ether (3 L), filtered, washed with ether, and dried to provide 72 g of the crude product </chunk>
<chunk bold="yes">11</chunk>
<chunk>. Yield&#160;80%. Purity 74% by HPLC.</chunk>
</paragraph>
</section>
<section>
<title>
<chunk>Z</chunk>
<chunk>-</chunk>
<chunk>cyclo</chunk>
<chunk>[</chunk>
<chunk>Asp</chunk>
<chunk>-</chunk>
<chunk>His</chunk>
<chunk>-</chunk>
<chunk>D</chunk>
<chunk>-</chunk>
<chunk>Phe</chunk>
<chunk>-</chunk>
<chunk>Arg</chunk>
<chunk>-</chunk>
<chunk>Trp</chunk>
<chunk>-</chunk>
<chunk>Lys</chunk>
<chunk>]-</chunk>
<chunk>NH</chunk>
<chunk subscript="yes">2</chunk>
<chunk>&#183;</chunk>
<chunk>2CF</chunk>
<chunk subscript="yes">3</chunk>
<chunk>COOH</chunk>
<chunk> (</chunk>
<chunk bold="yes">12</chunk>
<chunk>)</chunk>
</title>
<paragraph>
<chunk>Linear hexapeptide </chunk>
<chunk bold="yes">11</chunk>
<chunk> (300 mg, 0.197 mmol) was dissolved in DMF (30 mL), then HOBt&#183;H</chunk>
<chunk subscript="yes">2</chunk>
<chunk>O (51 mg, 0.3305 mmol), NMM (65 &#181;L), and DCC (68 mg, 0.3305 mmol) were added, and the mixture was stirred at r.t. for 24 h. The precipitate of DCU was filtered and the filtrate evaporated to dryness. The residue was dissolved in THF, filtered, diluted with AcOEt, and washed with water twice. The aqueous layer was extracted with THF/EtOAc, the combined organic extracts were evaporated to dryness, triturated with ether, filtered, and dried to give 170 mg of cyclic peptide </chunk>
<chunk bold="yes">12</chunk>
<chunk>. Yield 31.4%. ESI-MS: </chunk>
<chunk italic="yes">m/z</chunk>
<chunk> 502.7 [M+2H]</chunk>
<chunk superscript="yes">2+</chunk>
<chunk>, 1004.2 [M+H]</chunk>
<chunk superscript="yes">+</chunk>
<chunk>. The product was 75% pure by HPLC.</chunk>
</paragraph>
</section>
<section>
<title>
<chunk>H</chunk>
<chunk>-</chunk>
<chunk>cyclo</chunk>
<chunk>[</chunk>
<chunk>Asp</chunk>
<chunk>-</chunk>
<chunk>His</chunk>
<chunk>-</chunk>
<chunk>D</chunk>
<chunk>-</chunk>
<chunk>Phe</chunk>
<chunk>-</chunk>
<chunk>Arg</chunk>
<chunk>-</chunk>
<chunk>Trp</chunk>
<chunk>-</chunk>
<chunk>Lys</chunk>
<chunk>]-</chunk>
<chunk>NH</chunk>
<chunk subscript="yes">2</chunk>
<chunk>&#183;</chunk>
<chunk>2CF</chunk>
<chunk subscript="yes">3</chunk>
<chunk>COOH</chunk>
<chunk> (</chunk>
<chunk bold="yes">13</chunk>
<chunk>)</chunk>
</title>
<paragraph>
<chunk>Protected cyclic hexapeptide </chunk>
<chunk bold="yes">12</chunk>
<chunk> (8.2 g, 6.66 mmol) was dissolved in dry methanol (220 mL) and Pd(OH)</chunk>
<chunk subscript="yes">2</chunk>
<chunk> (0.3 g) was added. The mixture was stirred under a hydrogen atmosphere for 20 h at r.t., then 4 h at 50 &#176;C, filtered, and evaporated to dryness under vacuum at 40 &#176;C to produce cyclopeptide </chunk>
<chunk bold="yes">13</chunk>
<chunk> (7.0 g) as bis-trifluoracetate salt. Yield 96%.</chunk>
</paragraph>
</section>
<section>
<title>
<chunk>Ac</chunk>
<chunk>-</chunk>
<chunk>Nle</chunk>
<chunk>-</chunk>
<chunk>cyclo</chunk>
<chunk>[</chunk>
<chunk>Asp</chunk>
<chunk>-</chunk>
<chunk>His</chunk>
<chunk>-</chunk>
<chunk>D</chunk>
<chunk>-</chunk>
<chunk>Phe</chunk>
<chunk>-</chunk>
<chunk>Arg</chunk>
<chunk>-</chunk>
<chunk>Trp</chunk>
<chunk>-</chunk>
<chunk>Lys</chunk>
<chunk>]-</chunk>
<chunk>NH</chunk>
<chunk subscript="yes">2</chunk>
<chunk> (</chunk>
<chunk bold="yes">2</chunk>
<chunk>)</chunk>
</title>
<paragraph>
<chunk>The salt </chunk>
<chunk bold="yes">13</chunk>
<chunk> (7.0 g, 6.38 mmol), </chunk>
<chunk italic="yes">N</chunk>
<chunk>-acetylnorleucine (1.11&#160;g, 7 mmol), NMM (0.8 mL, 7&#160;mmol), and HONb (1.9 g, 10.5 mmol) were dissolved in DMF (120 mL), and DCC (1.44 g, 7 mmol) was added. The mixture was stirred for 22 h at r.t., the precipitate of DCU was filtered off, and washed with cold DMF. The filtrate was evaporated to dryness under vacuum, and the residue stirred with ether, filtered, and air-dried to give 10 g of the crude material. This substance was dissolved in isopropanol/THF (1 L, 1 : 1 v/v), and washed with water (500 mL). The aqueous layer was filtered, and extracted with butanol (2 &#215; 350&#160;mL). The organic layer was evaporated to dryness, the residue stirred with ether, filtered, and dried under vacuum to obtain 5.2&#160;g of melanotan&#160;II (</chunk>
<chunk bold="yes">2</chunk>
<chunk>) 90+% pure by HPLC. Yield 80%. ESI-MS: </chunk>
<chunk italic="yes">m/z</chunk>
<chunk> 513.1 [M+2H]</chunk>
<chunk superscript="yes">2+</chunk>
<chunk>, 1025.2 [M+H]</chunk>
<chunk superscript="yes">+</chunk>
<chunk>.</chunk>
</paragraph>
</section>
</section>
<album-graphics>
<graphic public-id="1860-5397-4-39-i1"/>
</album-graphics>
<figures>
<figure id="f1">
<caption>
<paragraph>
<chunk>The structure of melanotan II.</chunk>
</paragraph>
</caption>
<graphic public-id="1860-5397-4-39-1"/>
</figure>
</figures>
<schemes>
<scheme id="s1">
<caption>
<paragraph>
<chunk>Synthesis of melanotan II.</chunk>
</paragraph>
</caption>
<graphic public-id="1860-5397-4-39-i1"/>
</scheme>
</schemes>
<substances>
<substance id="1860-5397-4-39-JDKLPDJLXHXHNV-MFVUMRCOSA-N">
<inchi-key>JDKLPDJLXHXHNV-MFVUMRCOSA-N</inchi-key>
<inchi>InChI=1S/C50H69N15O9/c1-3-4-16-36(59-29(2)66)44(69)65-41-25-42(67)55-20-11-10-18-35(43(51)68)60-47(72)39(23-31-26-57-34-17-9-8-15-33(31)34)63-45(70)37(19-12-21-56-50(52)53)61-46(71)38(22-30-13-6-5-7-14-30)62-48(73)40(64-49(41)74)24-32-27-54-28-58-32/h5-9,13-15,17,26-28,35-41,57H,3-4,10-12,16,18-25H2,1-2H3,(H2,51,68)(H,54,58)(H,55,67)(H,59,66)(H,60,72)(H,61,71)(H,62,73)(H,63,70)(H,64,74)(H,65,69)(H4,52,53,56)/t35-,36-,37-,38+,39-,40-,41-/m0/s1</inchi>
<smiles>CCCC[C@@H](C(=O)N[C@H]1CC(=O)NCCCC[C@@H](C(=O)N)NC(=O)[C@H](CC2=CNC3=C2C=CC=C3)NC(=O)[C@H](CCCNC(=N)N)NC(=O)[C@@H](CC4=CC=CC=C4)NC(=O)[C@H](CC5=CN=CN5)NC1=O)NC(=O)C</smiles>
<extended-smiles>N1C(=O)[C@@H](NC(=O)[C@H](NC(=O)[C@@H](NC(=O)[C@H](CC(NCCCC[C@H](NC([C@@H]1CC2=CNC3=C2C=CC=C3)=O)C(=O)N)=O)NC(=O)[C@H](CCCC)NC(C)=O)CC4=CN=CN4)CC5=CC=CC=C5)CCCNC(N)=N |(232.67,-272.65,;232.73,-261.14,;242.73,-255.44,;222.79,-255.39,;212.85,-261.2,;202.91,-255.45,;202.97,-243.94,;192.97,-261.26,;183.03,-255.5,;173.09,-261.32,;173.15,-272.82,;163.16,-255.56,;153.22,-261.37,;153.27,-272.88,;143.34,-278.7,;160.37,-290.03,;173.27,-295.9,;173.21,-307.41,;183.15,-313.16,;193.09,-307.35,;203.03,-313.1,;212.97,-307.29,;222.91,-313.05,;232.85,-307.23,;232.79,-295.73,;242.73,-289.91,;242.67,-278.4,;252.67,-272.71,;262.66,-278.46,;263.83,-289.9,;275.11,-292.28,;280.83,-282.27,;273.14,-273.72,;276.65,-262.84,;287.84,-260.41,;295.59,-268.95,;292.05,-279.88,;252.72,-295.67,;242.84,-312.99,;242.9,-324.5,;252.84,-307.29,;163.27,-313.22,;152.23,-298.22,;146.53,-308.22,;152.34,-318.22,;135.43,-311.24,;129.73,-301.31,;118.63,-304.33,;112.94,-294.39,;100.31,-297.77,;132.47,-322.4,;121.36,-325.43,;118.4,-336.59,;111.43,-319.67,;163.21,-244.05,;153.27,-238.3,;152.11,-226.87,;140.86,-224.46,;135.12,-234.43,;142.83,-242.95,;193.03,-272.77,;203.03,-278.52,;203,-290.07,;212.99,-295.82,;222.99,-290.04,;222.93,-278.45,;212.94,-272.75,;222.85,-243.88,;232.85,-238.18,;242.84,-243.94,;252.84,-238.24,;262.84,-244,;272.84,-238.3,;262.9,-255.5,)|</extended-smiles>
<aux-info>AuxInfo=1/1/N:74,72,69,68,54,53,55,41,40,25,26,44,52,56,42,67,39,24,43,27,45,50,33,57,31,35,59,61,71,51,34,58,37,38,20,66,4,8,16,12,32,29,21,64,2,6,17,10,14,47,23,48,49,60,28,46,36,62,70,19,5,9,1,13,63,73,30,22,65,3,7,18,11,15/E:(6,7)(13,14)(52,53)/it:im/rA:74nNCOC.oNCOC.eNCOC.oNCOC.eCONC.eCONCCCCNCOCC.eCCCNCCCCCCCCCNCNNCCCCCCCCCCNCNNCOC.eCCCNCCOC/rB:s1;d2;s2;s4;s5;d6;s6;s8;s9;d10;s10;s12;s13;d14;s1;s16;d17;s17;s19;N20;d21;s21;s20;s24;s25;s26;s27;s28;d29;s29;s14s31;P16;s33;d34;s35;s34;s36d37;s38;d39;s40;s37d41;P4;s43;s44;s45;s46;s47;d47;P8;s50;d51;s52;d53;s54;s51d55;P12;s57;d58;s59;d60;s58s61;N32;s63;d64;s64;s66;s67;s68;P66;s70;s71;d71;s69;/rC:232,6715,-272,6502,0;232,7296,-261,1417,0;242,7252,-255,4378,0;222,7904,-255,3874,0;212,8513,-261,1998,0;202,9121,-255,4455,0;202,9702,-243,9370,0;192,9729,-261,2579,0;183,0337,-255,5036,0;173,0946,-261,3160,0;173,1527,-272,8245,0;163,1554,-255,5618,0;153,2162,-261,3741,0;153,2743,-272,8827,0;143,3351,-278,6950,0;242,6688,-278,4044,0;242,7269,-289,9130,0;252,7242,-295,6672,0;232,7877,-295,7253,0;232,8459,-307,2339,0;242,8432,-312,9881,0;242,9013,-324,4966,0;252,8405,-307,2920,0;222,9067,-313,0462,0;212,9675,-307,2920,0;203,0283,-313,1044,0;193,0891,-307,3501,0;183,1500,-313,1625,0;173,2108,-307,4082,0;163,2716,-313,2206,0;173,2689,-295,8997,0;160,3654,-290,0292,0;252,6661,-272,7083,0;262,6634,-278,4626,0;263,8284,-289,9011,0;275,1148,-292,2840,0;273,1395,-273,7244,0;280,8268,-282,2745,0;292,0465,-279,8840,0;295,5945,-268,9507,0;287,8364,-260,4054,0;276,6454,-262,8399,0;222,8486,-243,8789,0;232,8459,-238,1827,0;242,8432,-243,9370,0;252,8405,-238,2409,0;262,8378,-243,9951,0;272,8351,-238,2990,0;262,8959,-255,5036,0;193,0310,-272,7664,0;203,0283,-278,5207,0;203,0048,-290,0708,0;212,9903,-295,8240,0;222,9861,-290,0424,0;222,9336,-278,4478,0;212,9400,-272,7468,0;163,2135,-244,0533,0;153,2743,-238,2990,0;152,1051,-226,8696,0;140,8621,-224,4634,0;135,1155,-234,4257,0;142,8267,-242,9546,0;152,2281,-298,2247,0;146,5320,-308,2220,0;152,3443,-318,2192,0;135,4303,-311,2444,0;129,7342,-301,3052,0;118,6325,-304,3276,0;112,9364,-294,3885,0;132,4660,-322,4042,0;121,3643,-325,4266,0;118,4000,-336,5864,0;111,4252,-319,6724,0;100,3135,-297,7708,0;</aux-info>
<molecular-formula>C50H69N15O9</molecular-formula>
<molfile>
  CDK     04282612422D

  0  0  0     0  0            999 V3000
M  V30 BEGIN CTAB
M  V30 COUNTS 74 78 0 0 1
M  V30 BEGIN ATOM
M  V30 1 N 232.67148 -272.65018 0 0
M  V30 2 C 232.7296 -261.14166 0 0
M  V30 3 O 242.72522 -255.43779 0 0
M  V30 4 C 222.79044 -255.38739 0 0 CFG=2
M  V30 5 N 212.85126 -261.19977 0 0
M  V30 6 C 202.91208 -255.44551 0 0
M  V30 7 O 202.9702 -243.93698 0 0
M  V30 8 C 192.9729 -261.2579 0 0 CFG=1
M  V30 9 N 183.03372 -255.50365 0 0
M  V30 10 C 173.09456 -261.31604 0 0
M  V30 11 O 173.15266 -272.82452 0 0
M  V30 12 C 163.15536 -255.56177 0 0 CFG=2
M  V30 13 N 153.21619 -261.37415 0 0
M  V30 14 C 153.27431 -272.88266 0 0
M  V30 15 O 143.33514 -278.69504 0 0
M  V30 16 C 242.66879 -278.40442 0 0 CFG=1
M  V30 17 C 242.72691 -289.91296 0 0
M  V30 18 O 252.72421 -295.66721 0 0
M  V30 19 N 232.78773 -295.72534 0 0
M  V30 20 C 232.84586 -307.23386 0 0 CFG=1
M  V30 21 C 242.84315 -312.9881 0 0
M  V30 22 O 242.90128 -324.49664 0 0
M  V30 23 N 252.84045 -307.29199 0 0
M  V30 24 C 222.90668 -313.04623 0 0
M  V30 25 C 212.9675 -307.29199 0 0
M  V30 26 C 203.02832 -313.10437 0 0
M  V30 27 C 193.08914 -307.3501 0 0
M  V30 28 N 183.14998 -313.16248 0 0
M  V30 29 C 173.21078 -307.4082 0 0
M  V30 30 O 163.27162 -313.22061 0 0
M  V30 31 C 173.26892 -295.89972 0 0
M  V30 32 C 160.36542 -290.02921 0 0 CFG=1
M  V30 33 C 252.66608 -272.70828 0 0
M  V30 34 C 262.66339 -278.46255 0 0
M  V30 35 C 263.82843 -289.90112 0 0
M  V30 36 N 275.11484 -292.28397 0 0
M  V30 37 C 273.13947 -273.72437 0 0
M  V30 38 C 280.82678 -282.27448 0 0
M  V30 39 C 292.04651 -279.884 0 0
M  V30 40 C 295.59448 -268.95074 0 0
M  V30 41 C 287.8364 -260.40543 0 0
M  V30 42 C 276.64545 -262.8399 0 0
M  V30 43 C 222.84856 -243.87886 0 0
M  V30 44 C 232.84586 -238.18272 0 0
M  V30 45 C 242.84315 -243.93698 0 0
M  V30 46 N 252.84045 -238.24086 0 0
M  V30 47 C 262.83777 -243.99512 0 0
M  V30 48 N 272.83508 -238.29898 0 0
M  V30 49 N 262.89587 -255.50365 0 0
M  V30 50 C 193.03104 -272.76642 0 0
M  V30 51 C 203.02832 -278.52069 0 0
M  V30 52 C 203.00478 -290.07083 0 0
M  V30 53 C 212.99031 -295.82397 0 0
M  V30 54 C 222.98613 -290.04242 0 0
M  V30 55 C 222.93362 -278.44775 0 0
M  V30 56 C 212.94 -272.74683 0 0
M  V30 57 C 163.2135 -244.05325 0 0
M  V30 58 C 153.27431 -238.29898 0 0
M  V30 59 C 152.10507 -226.86963 0 0
M  V30 60 N 140.86206 -224.46336 0 0
M  V30 61 C 135.11549 -234.42569 0 0
M  V30 62 N 142.82674 -242.95462 0 0
M  V30 63 N 152.22807 -298.22467 0 0
M  V30 64 C 146.53195 -308.22195 0 0
M  V30 65 O 152.34435 -318.21924 0 0
M  V30 66 C 135.4303 -311.24438 0 0 CFG=1
M  V30 67 C 129.73416 -301.30524 0 0
M  V30 68 C 118.63252 -304.32764 0 0
M  V30 69 C 112.93637 -294.38849 0 0
M  V30 70 N 132.46599 -322.40417 0 0
M  V30 71 C 121.36433 -325.42664 0 0
M  V30 72 C 118.40001 -336.5864 0 0
M  V30 73 O 111.42516 -319.67236 0 0
M  V30 74 C 100.31349 -297.77075 0 0
M  V30 END ATOM
M  V30 BEGIN BOND
M  V30 1 1 1 2
M  V30 2 2 2 3
M  V30 3 1 2 4
M  V30 4 1 4 5
M  V30 5 1 5 6
M  V30 6 2 6 7
M  V30 7 1 6 8
M  V30 8 1 8 9
M  V30 9 1 9 10
M  V30 10 2 10 11
M  V30 11 1 10 12
M  V30 12 1 12 13
M  V30 13 1 13 14
M  V30 14 2 14 15
M  V30 15 1 1 16
M  V30 16 1 16 17
M  V30 17 2 17 18
M  V30 18 1 17 19
M  V30 19 1 19 20
M  V30 20 1 20 21 CFG=3
M  V30 21 2 21 22
M  V30 22 1 21 23
M  V30 23 1 20 24
M  V30 24 1 24 25
M  V30 25 1 25 26
M  V30 26 1 26 27
M  V30 27 1 27 28
M  V30 28 1 28 29
M  V30 29 2 29 30
M  V30 30 1 29 31
M  V30 31 1 14 32
M  V30 32 1 31 32
M  V30 33 1 16 33 CFG=1
M  V30 34 1 33 34
M  V30 35 1 35 36
M  V30 36 2 34 35
M  V30 37 1 36 38
M  V30 38 1 37 34
M  V30 39 2 37 38
M  V30 40 1 38 39
M  V30 41 2 39 40
M  V30 42 1 40 41
M  V30 43 2 41 42
M  V30 44 1 42 37
M  V30 45 1 4 43 CFG=1
M  V30 46 1 43 44
M  V30 47 1 44 45
M  V30 48 1 45 46
M  V30 49 1 46 47
M  V30 50 1 47 48
M  V30 51 2 47 49
M  V30 52 1 8 50 CFG=1
M  V30 53 1 50 51
M  V30 54 2 51 52
M  V30 55 1 52 53
M  V30 56 2 53 54
M  V30 57 1 54 55
M  V30 58 2 55 56
M  V30 59 1 56 51
M  V30 60 1 12 57 CFG=1
M  V30 61 1 57 58
M  V30 62 1 59 60
M  V30 63 2 58 59
M  V30 64 2 60 61
M  V30 65 1 61 62
M  V30 66 1 62 58
M  V30 67 1 32 63 CFG=3
M  V30 68 1 63 64
M  V30 69 2 64 65
M  V30 70 1 64 66
M  V30 71 1 66 67
M  V30 72 1 67 68
M  V30 73 1 68 69
M  V30 74 1 66 70 CFG=1
M  V30 75 1 70 71
M  V30 76 1 71 72
M  V30 77 2 71 73
M  V30 78 1 69 74
M  V30 END BOND
M  V30 END CTAB
M  END
</molfile>
<backref ref="1860-5397-4-39-1" left="100.25371" right="295.88275" top="220.96336" bottom="336.6519"/>
</substance>
</substances>
<end-section>
<title>
<chunk>Acknowledgements</chunk>
</title>
<paragraph>
<chunk>The authors are grateful to Nikolay Uvarov for spectrometric characterization of compounds and Svetlana Andronova for HPLC analysis.</chunk>
</paragraph>
</end-section>
<reference id="b1" type="article" volume="85" first-page="2149" last-page="2154">
<reference-author first-name="R" middle-names="B" last-name="Merrifield"/>
<source>
<chunk>J. Am. Chem. Soc.</chunk>
</source>
<publication-date year="1963"/>
<external-link type="doi" public-id="10.1021/ja00897a025"/>
</reference>
<reference id="b2" type="article" volume="198" first-page="1056" last-page="1063">
<reference-author first-name="K" last-name="Itakura"/>
<reference-author first-name="T" last-name="Hirose"/>
<reference-author first-name="R" last-name="Crea"/>
<reference-author first-name="A" middle-names="D" last-name="Riggs"/>
<reference-author first-name="H" middle-names="L" last-name="Heyneker"/>
<reference-author first-name="F" last-name="Bolivar"/>
<reference-author first-name="H" middle-names="W" last-name="Boyer"/>
<source>
<chunk>Science</chunk>
</source>
<publication-date year="1977"/>
<external-link type="doi" public-id="10.1126/science.412251"/>
</reference>
<reference id="b3" type="article" volume="9" first-page="830" last-page="834">
<reference-author first-name="G" last-name="Wright"/>
<reference-author first-name="A" last-name="Carver"/>
<reference-author first-name="D" last-name="Cottom"/>
<reference-author first-name="D" last-name="Reeves"/>
<reference-author first-name="A" last-name="Scott"/>
<reference-author first-name="P" last-name="Simons"/>
<reference-author first-name="I" last-name="Wilmut"/>
<reference-author first-name="I" last-name="Garner"/>
<reference-author first-name="A" last-name="Colman"/>
<source>
<chunk>Bio/Technology</chunk>
</source>
<publication-date year="1991"/>
<external-link type="doi" public-id="10.1038/nbt0991-830"/>
</reference>
<reference id="b4" type="book" volume="3" publisher-name="Humana Press" publisher-location="Totowa, NJ">
<reference-editor first-name="C" last-name="Cunningham"/>
<reference-editor first-name="A" middle-names="J R" last-name="Porter"/>
<source>
<chunk>Recombinant Proteins from Plants: Production and Isolation of Clinically Useful Compounds</chunk>
</source>
<series>
<chunk>Methods in Biotechnology</chunk>
</series>
<publication-date year="1997"/>
</reference>
<reference id="b5" type="article" volume="51" first-page="279" last-page="296">
<reference-author first-name="S" last-name="Sakakibara"/>
<source>
<chunk>Pept. Sci.</chunk>
</source>
<publication-date year="1999"/>
<external-link type="doi" public-id="10.1002/(SICI)1097-0282(1999)51:4&lt;279::AID-BIP4&gt;3.0.CO;2-H"/>
</reference>
<reference id="b6" type="article" volume="55" first-page="227" last-page="250">
<reference-author first-name="L" last-name="Andersson"/>
<reference-author first-name="L" last-name="Blomberg"/>
<reference-author first-name="M" last-name="Flegel"/>
<reference-author first-name="L" last-name="Lepsa"/>
<reference-author first-name="B" last-name="Nilsson"/>
<reference-author first-name="M" last-name="Verlander"/>
<source>
<chunk>Pept. Sci.</chunk>
</source>
<publication-date year="2000"/>
<external-link type="doi" public-id="10.1002/1097-0282(2000)55:3&lt;227::AID-BIP50&gt;3.0.CO;2-7"/>
</reference>
<reference id="b7" type="article" volume="34" first-page="259" last-page="281">
<reference-author first-name="B" middle-names="M" last-name="Trost"/>
<source>
<chunk>Angew. Chem., Int. Ed. Engl.</chunk>
</source>
<publication-date year="1995"/>
<external-link type="doi" public-id="10.1002/anie.199502591"/>
</reference>
<reference id="b8" type="article" first-page="1807" last-page="1811">
<reference-author first-name="R" last-name="Noyori"/>
<source>
<chunk>Chem. Commun.</chunk>
</source>
<publication-date year="2005"/>
<external-link type="doi" public-id="10.1039/b502713f"/>
</reference>
<reference id="b9" type="article" volume="127" first-page="2836" last-page="2837">
<reference-author first-name="P" middle-names="A" last-name="Wender"/>
<reference-author first-name="G" middle-names="G" last-name="Gamber"/>
<reference-author first-name="R" middle-names="D" last-name="Hubbard"/>
<reference-author first-name="S" middle-names="M" last-name="Pham"/>
<reference-author first-name="L" last-name="Zhang"/>
<source>
<chunk>J. Am. Chem. Soc.</chunk>
</source>
<publication-date year="2005"/>
<external-link type="doi" public-id="10.1021/ja042728b"/>
</reference>
<reference id="b10" type="article" volume="30" first-page="2126" last-page="2130">
<reference-author first-name="V" middle-names="J" last-name="Hruby"/>
<reference-author first-name="B" middle-names="C" last-name="Wilkes"/>
<reference-author first-name="M" middle-names="E" last-name="Hadley"/>
<reference-author first-name="F" last-name="Al-Obeidi"/>
<reference-author first-name="T" middle-names="K" last-name="Sawyer"/>
<reference-author first-name="D" middle-names="J" last-name="Staples"/>
<reference-author first-name="A" middle-names="E" last-name="deVaux"/>
<reference-author first-name="O" last-name="Dym"/>
<reference-author first-name="A" middle-names="M L" last-name="Castrucci"/>
<reference-author first-name="M" middle-names="F" last-name="Hintz"/>
<reference-author first-name="J" middle-names="P" last-name="Riehm"/>
<reference-author first-name="K" middle-names="R" last-name="Rao"/>
<source>
<chunk>J. Med. Chem.</chunk>
</source>
<publication-date year="1987"/>
<external-link type="doi" public-id="10.1021/jm00394a033"/>
</reference>
<reference id="b11" type="article" volume="73" first-page="157" last-page="163">
<reference-author first-name="A" middle-names="M L" last-name="Castrucci"/>
<reference-author first-name="M" middle-names="E" last-name="Hadley"/>
<reference-author first-name="T" middle-names="K" last-name="Sawyer"/>
<reference-author first-name="B" middle-names="C" last-name="Wilkes"/>
<reference-author first-name="F" last-name="Al-Obeidi"/>
<reference-author first-name="D" middle-names="J" last-name="Staples"/>
<reference-author first-name="A" middle-names="E" last-name="deVaux"/>
<reference-author first-name="O" last-name="Dym"/>
<reference-author first-name="M" middle-names="F" last-name="Hintz"/>
<reference-author first-name="J" middle-names="P" last-name="Riehm"/>
<reference-author first-name="K" middle-names="R" last-name="Rao"/>
<reference-author first-name="V" middle-names="J" last-name="Hruby"/>
<source>
<chunk>Gen. Comp. Endocrinol.</chunk>
</source>
<publication-date year="1989"/>
<external-link type="doi" public-id="10.1016/0016-6480(89)90066-X"/>
</reference>
<reference id="b12" type="article" volume="49" first-page="6888" last-page="6896">
<reference-author first-name="J" last-name="Ying"/>
<reference-author first-name="X" last-name="Gu"/>
<reference-author first-name="M" last-name="Cai"/>
<reference-author first-name="M" last-name="Dedek"/>
<reference-author first-name="J" last-name="Vagner"/>
<reference-author first-name="D" middle-names="B" last-name="Trivedi"/>
<reference-author first-name="V" middle-names="J" last-name="Hruby"/>
<source>
<chunk>J. Med. Chem.</chunk>
</source>
<publication-date year="2006"/>
<external-link type="doi" public-id="10.1021/jm060768f"/>
</reference>
<reference id="b13" type="article" volume="49" first-page="1946" last-page="1952">
<reference-author first-name="A" middle-names="V" last-name="Mayorov"/>
<reference-author first-name="M" last-name="Cai"/>
<reference-author first-name="K" middle-names="B" last-name="Chandler"/>
<reference-author first-name="R" middle-names="R" last-name="Petrov"/>
<reference-author first-name="A" middle-names="R" last-name="Van Scoy"/>
<reference-author first-name="Z" last-name="Yu"/>
<reference-author first-name="D" middle-names="K" last-name="Tanaka"/>
<reference-author first-name="D" last-name="Trivedi"/>
<reference-author first-name="V" middle-names="J" last-name="Hruby"/>
<source>
<chunk>J. Med. Chem.</chunk>
</source>
<publication-date year="2006"/>
<external-link type="doi" public-id="10.1021/jm0510326"/>
</reference>
<reference id="b14" type="article" volume="16" first-page="5462" last-page="5467">
<reference-author first-name="J" middle-names="P" last-name="Cain"/>
<reference-author first-name="A" middle-names="V" last-name="Mayorov"/>
<reference-author first-name="M" last-name="Cai"/>
<reference-author first-name="H" last-name="Wang"/>
<reference-author first-name="B" last-name="Tan"/>
<reference-author first-name="K" last-name="Chandler"/>
<reference-author first-name="Y" middle-names="S" last-name="Lee"/>
<reference-author first-name="R" middle-names="R" last-name="Petrov"/>
<reference-author first-name="D" last-name="Trivedi"/>
<reference-author first-name="V" middle-names="J" last-name="Hruby"/>
<source>
<chunk>Bioorg. Med. Chem. Lett.</chunk>
</source>
<publication-date year="2006"/>
<external-link type="doi" public-id="10.1016/j.bmcl.2006.07.015"/>
</reference>
<reference id="b15" type="article" volume="46" first-page="3728" last-page="3733">
<reference-author first-name="P" middle-names="M" last-name="Balse-Srinivasan"/>
<reference-author first-name="P" last-name="Grieco"/>
<reference-author first-name="M" last-name="Cai"/>
<reference-author first-name="D" last-name="Trivedi"/>
<reference-author first-name="V" middle-names="J" last-name="Hruby"/>
<source>
<chunk>J. Med. Chem.</chunk>
</source>
<publication-date year="2003"/>
<external-link type="doi" public-id="10.1021/jm030111j"/>
</reference>
<reference id="b16" type="article" volume="58" first-page="7365" last-page="7374">
<reference-author first-name="W" last-name="Wang"/>
<reference-author first-name="M" last-name="Cai"/>
<reference-author first-name="C" last-name="Xiong"/>
<reference-author first-name="J" last-name="Zhang"/>
<reference-author first-name="D" last-name="Trivedi"/>
<reference-author first-name="V" middle-names="J" last-name="Hruby"/>
<source>
<chunk>Tetrahedron</chunk>
</source>
<publication-date year="2002"/>
<external-link type="doi" public-id="10.1016/S0040-4020(02)00588-4"/>
</reference>
<reference id="b17" type="article" volume="40" first-page="1738" last-page="1748">
<reference-author first-name="C" last-name="Haskell-Luevano"/>
<reference-author first-name="G" last-name="Nikiforovich"/>
<reference-author first-name="S" middle-names="D" last-name="Sharma"/>
<reference-author first-name="Y-K" last-name="Yang"/>
<reference-author first-name="C" last-name="Dickinson"/>
<reference-author first-name="V" middle-names="J" last-name="Hruby"/>
<reference-author first-name="I" last-name="Gantz"/>
<source>
<chunk>J. Med. Chem.</chunk>
</source>
<publication-date year="1997"/>
<external-link type="doi" public-id="10.1021/jm960845e"/>
</reference>
<reference id="b18" type="article" volume="32" first-page="2555" last-page="2561">
<reference-author first-name="F" last-name="Al-Obeidi"/>
<reference-author first-name="A" middle-names="M L" last-name="Castrucci"/>
<reference-author first-name="M" middle-names="E" last-name="Hadley"/>
<reference-author first-name="V" middle-names="J" last-name="Hruby"/>
<source>
<chunk>J. Med. Chem.</chunk>
</source>
<publication-date year="1989"/>
<external-link type="doi" public-id="10.1021/jm00132a010"/>
</reference>
<reference id="b19" type="article" volume="32" first-page="174" last-page="179">
<reference-author first-name="F" last-name="Al-Obeidi"/>
<reference-author first-name="V" middle-names="J" last-name="Hruby"/>
<reference-author first-name="A" middle-names="M L" last-name="Castrucci"/>
<reference-author first-name="M" middle-names="E" last-name="Hadley"/>
<source>
<chunk>J. Med. Chem.</chunk>
</source>
<publication-date year="1989"/>
<external-link type="doi" public-id="10.1021/jm00121a032"/>
</reference>
<reference id="b20" type="article" volume="48" first-page="3328" last-page="3336">
<reference-author first-name="A" last-name="Todorovic"/>
<reference-author first-name="J" middle-names="R" last-name="Holder"/>
<reference-author first-name="R" middle-names="M" last-name="Bauzo"/>
<reference-author first-name="J" middle-names="W" last-name="Scott"/>
<reference-author first-name="R" last-name="Kavanagh"/>
<reference-author first-name="Z" last-name="Abdel-Malek"/>
<reference-author first-name="C" last-name="Haskell-Luevano"/>
<source>
<chunk>J. Med. Chem.</chunk>
</source>
<publication-date year="2005"/>
<external-link type="doi" public-id="10.1021/jm0490843"/>
</reference>
<reference id="b21" type="article" volume="48" first-page="3060" last-page="3075">
<reference-author first-name="A" last-name="Wilczynski"/>
<reference-author first-name="K" middle-names="R" last-name="Wilson"/>
<reference-author first-name="J" middle-names="W" last-name="Scott"/>
<reference-author first-name="A" middle-names="S" last-name="Edison"/>
<reference-author first-name="C" last-name="Haskell-Luevano"/>
<source>
<chunk>J. Med. Chem.</chunk>
</source>
<publication-date year="2005"/>
<external-link type="doi" public-id="10.1021/jm049010r"/>
</reference>
<reference id="b22" type="patent" patent-number="WO 99/54358 A1">
<reference-author first-name="R" middle-names="A H" last-name="Adan"/>
<reference-author first-name="W" middle-names="H" last-name="Gispen"/>
<title>
<chunk>Melanocortin receptor ligands</chunk>
</title>
<source>
<chunk>PCT Int. Appl.</chunk>
</source>
<publication-date day="28" month="10" year="1999"/>
</reference>
<reference id="b23" type="patent" patent-number="WO 94/22460 A1">
<reference-author first-name="M" middle-names="E" last-name="Hadley"/>
<title>
<chunk>Diagnosis and treatment of erectile dysfunction</chunk>
</title>
<source>
<chunk>PCT Int. Appl.</chunk>
</source>
<publication-date day="13" month="10" year="1994"/>
</reference>
<reference id="b24" type="patent" patent-number="5,674,839">
<reference-author first-name="V" middle-names="J" last-name="Hruby"/>
<reference-author first-name="M" middle-names="E" last-name="Hadley"/>
<reference-author first-name="F" last-name="Al-Obeidi"/>
<title>
<chunk>Cyclic analogs of alpha-MSH fragments</chunk>
</title>
<source>
<chunk>U. S. Patent</chunk>
</source>
<publication-date day="7" month="10" year="1997"/>
</reference>
<reference id="b25" type="article" volume="30" first-page="497" last-page="500">
<reference-author first-name="E" last-name="Nicol&#225;s"/>
<reference-author first-name="E" last-name="Pedroso"/>
<reference-author first-name="E" last-name="Girald"/>
<source>
<chunk>Tetrahedron Lett.</chunk>
</source>
<publication-date year="1989"/>
<external-link type="doi" public-id="10.1016/S0040-4039(00)95238-9"/>
</reference>
<reference id="b26" type="article" first-page="3213" last-page="3223">
<reference-author first-name="I" last-name="Sch&#246;n"/>
<reference-author first-name="T" last-name="Szirtes"/>
<reference-author first-name="A" last-name="Rill"/>
<reference-author first-name="G" last-name="Balogh"/>
<reference-author first-name="Z" last-name="Vad&#225;sz"/>
<reference-author first-name="J" last-name="Sepr&#337;di"/>
<reference-author first-name="I" last-name="Tepl&#225;n"/>
<reference-author first-name="N" last-name="Chino"/>
<reference-author first-name="K" middle-names="Y" last-name="Kumogaye"/>
<reference-author first-name="S" last-name="Sakakibara"/>
<source>
<chunk>J. Chem. Soc., Perkin Trans. 1</chunk>
</source>
<publication-date year="1991"/>
<external-link type="doi" public-id="10.1039/P19910003213"/>
</reference>
<reference id="b27" type="article" volume="9" first-page="36" last-page="46">
<reference-author first-name="M" last-name="Mergler"/>
<reference-author first-name="F" last-name="Dick"/>
<reference-author first-name="B" last-name="Sax"/>
<reference-author first-name="P" last-name="Weiler"/>
<reference-author first-name="T" last-name="Vorherr"/>
<source>
<chunk>J. Pept. Sci.</chunk>
</source>
<publication-date year="2003"/>
<external-link type="doi" public-id="10.1002/psc.430"/>
</reference>
<reference id="b28" type="article" volume="9" first-page="518" last-page="526">
<reference-author first-name="M" last-name="Mergler"/>
<reference-author first-name="F" last-name="Dick"/>
<reference-author first-name="B" last-name="Sax"/>
<reference-author first-name="C" last-name="St&#228;helin"/>
<reference-author first-name="T" last-name="Vorherr"/>
<source>
<chunk>J. Pept. Sci.</chunk>
</source>
<publication-date year="2003"/>
<external-link type="doi" public-id="10.1002/psc.473"/>
</reference>
<reference id="b29" type="article" volume="11" first-page="650" last-page="657">
<reference-author first-name="M" last-name="Mergler"/>
<reference-author first-name="F" last-name="Dick"/>
<source>
<chunk>J. Pept. Sci.</chunk>
</source>
<publication-date year="2005"/>
<external-link type="doi" public-id="10.1002/psc.668"/>
</reference>
<reference id="b30" type="in-proceedings" first-page="448" last-page="457" publisher-name="Wiley" publisher-location="New York">
<reference-author first-name="M" last-name="Feurer"/>
<reference-editor first-name="M" last-name="Goodman"/>
<reference-editor first-name="J" last-name="Meienhofer"/>
<title>
<chunk>Special features of large-scale peptide synthesis</chunk>
</title>
<source>
<chunk italic="yes">Peptides</chunk>
<chunk>, Proceedings of the Fifth American Peptide Symposium</chunk>
</source>
<conference location="San Diego, CA">
<start-date day="20" month="6" year="1977"/>
<end-date day="24" month="6" year="1977"/>
</conference>
<publication-date year="1977"/>
<comment>
<paragraph>
<chunk italic="yes">Chem. Abstr.</chunk>
<chunk> </chunk>
<chunk bold="yes">1978</chunk>
<chunk>, </chunk>
<chunk italic="yes">88</chunk>
<chunk>, 170444g</chunk>
</paragraph>
</comment>
</reference>
<reference id="b31" type="book" publisher-name="Naukova dumka" publisher-location="Kiev">
<reference-author first-name="A" middle-names="A" last-name="Gershkovich"/>
<reference-author first-name="V" middle-names="K" last-name="Kibirev"/>
<source>
<chunk>Khimicheskii sintez peptidov</chunk>
</source>
<publication-date year="1992"/>
<comment>
<paragraph>
<chunk>(in Russian)</chunk>
</paragraph>
</comment>
</reference>
<reference id="b32" type="article" volume="17" first-page="1679" last-page="1686">
<reference-author first-name="M" last-name="Itoh"/>
<source>
<chunk>Chem. Pharm. Bull.</chunk>
</source>
<publication-date year="1969"/>
</reference>
<copyright year="2008" holder="Ryakhovsky et al; licensee Beilstein-Institut." link="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0">
<paragraph>
<chunk>This is an Open Access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.</chunk>
</paragraph>
<paragraph>
<chunk>The license is subject to the </chunk>
<chunk italic="yes">Beilstein Journal of Organic Chemistry</chunk>
<chunk> terms and conditions: (http://www.beilstein-journals.org/bjoc)</chunk>
</paragraph>
</copyright>
</article>
