Side-product formation during cyclization with HBTU on a solid support

The coupling reagent 2-(1H-benzotriazol-1-yl)-1,1,3,3-tetramethyluronium hexafluorophosphate (HBTU) was used in an attempt to prepare a highly strained 10-membered lactam ring on a solid support via side-chain to side-chain cyclization of the adjacent α, γ-diaminobutyric (Dab) and d -glutamic acid residues in Dab²,d -Glu³,Leu⁵]enkephalinamide. This attempted cyclization failed, however, and yielded linear products instead. Characterization by mass spectrometry, amino acid analysis, peptide sequencing and NMR indicated that the major products were the tetramethylguanidinium (Tmg) derivatives Dab(Tmg)²,d -Glu³,Leu⁵]-enkephalinamide and the corresponding dimeric linear Tmg-containing peptide which resulted from the transfer of the tetramethyluronium moiety from HBTU to the amino side chain of Dab. The formation of these tetramethylguanidinium side products during cyclization reactions limits HBTU's usefulness for the formation of lactams.