A novel cis-peptide bond motif inducing β-turn type VI. The synthesis of enkephalin analogues modified with 4-aminopyroglutamic acid.

A new pathway leading to a mixture of four isomers of 4-aminopyroglutamic acid is described. Michael type addition of Z-ΔAla-OMe to enolates prepared from acylaminomalonates, followed by hydrolysis and decarboxylation give protected 4-aminopyroglutamic acid with the 4-aminopyroglutamic acid with the cis:trans ratio approximately 3:2. This mixture was incorporated into Leu-enkephalin (position 2-3). After separation of peptides it appeared that all analogues were essentially inactive in guinea pig ileum and mouse vas deferens bioassays.