Improved Scalable Syntheses of Mono- and Bis-Urethane Derivatives of Ornithine.

Abstract

In the search for a practical route to ornithine bisurethane derivatives useful for peptide synthesis, we elaborated the simple and efficient (86% yield) synthesis of N(epsilon)-tert-butoxycarbonyl-L-ornithine copper(II) complex (1). This served as substrate for obtaining N(epsilon)-tert-butoxycarbonyl-L-ornithine (2), N(alpha)-benzyloxycarbonyl-N(epsilon)-tert-butoxycarbonyl-L-ornithine (3) and N(alpha)-(9-fluorenyl)methoxycarbonyl-N(epsilon)-tert-butoxycarbonyl-L-ornithine (4). These were synthesized in 94-95% yields and with a purity above 99%.