Cleavage of aspartyl β-phenacyl esters by selenophenol under neutral conditions

Neutral selenophenol in DMF accomplished the removal of the β-phenacyl protecting group of aspartic acid in solution, on the peptide Boc-Asp(β-OPac)-Phe amide and on the resin peptide Boc-Trp(Nⁱⁿ-For)-Met-Asp(β-OPac)-Phe- (CCK 30–33) without α, β-rearrangement.