Synthesis of Homoserine Phospho-, H-Phosphono- and Methylphosphonopeptides

Summary Phosphopeptides and mimics thereof are useful tools for the investigation of phosphorylation, an important posttranslational modification of peptides and proteins. In order to investigate different aspects of phosphorylation and dephosphorylation processes, homoserine phospho-, H-phosphono- and methylphosphonopeptides were synthesized. The tetrapeptide H-Gly-Gly-Hse-Ala-OH was used as a model sequence; further, the heptapeptide H-Leu-Arg-Arg-Ala-Hse-Leu-Gly-OH and the octapeptide H-Glu-Ser-Leu-Hse-Ser-Ser-Glu-Glu-OH were synthesized and modified. After selective deprotection of the trityl-protected homoserine residue, phosphorylation or phosphonylation was performed on resin by the global phosphorylation approach using different phosphoamidites. Peptides were analysed by analytical RP-HPLC and electrospray mass spectrometry. All compounds were obtained in yields over 75%. The byproducts observed were both the unmodified peptide and the H-phosphonopeptide in the case of the phosphopeptides, the phosphorylated and the unmodified peptide in the case of the H-phosphonopeptides, and the unmodified peptide in the case of the methylphosphonopeptides. Due to simple purification by RP-HPLC, the method presented gives access to a new class of phosphopeptides and mimics.