Synthetic fragments and analogues of elastin. I. The synthesis

Abstract The synthesis of some repetitive sequences of elastin and their simplified analogues, all comprising the structural unit Gly‐X‐Gly (X = Val, Leu, Ala), is described. In particular, the following peptides and polypeptides were synthesized and characterized: Boc‐Gly‐Val‐Gly‐Gly‐Leu‐OMe, Boc‐Gly‐Leu‐Gly‐Gly‐Val‐OMe, Boc‐(Gly‐Val‐Gly‐Gly‐Leu) 2 ‐OMe, Boc‐(Gly‐Val‐Gly‐Gly‐Leu) 3 ‐OMe, Boc‐Gly‐Val‐Gly‐Gly‐OEt, Boc‐Leu‐Gly‐Gly‐Leu‐OMe, Boc‐Val‐Gly‐Gly‐Val‐OMe, poly(Ala‐Gly‐Gly), poly(Val‐Gly‐Gly), and poly (Leu‐Gly‐Gly). In every case, the synthesis was accomplished by classical procedures in solution, by using the p ‐nitrophenyl ester method for the polycondensation step, and the mixed anhydride or the azide methods for the coupling steps.