A synthetic method for diversification of the P1′ substituent in phosphinic dipeptides as a tool for exploration of the specificity of the S1′ binding pockets of leucine aminopeptidases

Abstract A novel, general, and versatile method of diversification of the P1′ position in phosphinic pseudodipeptides, presumable inhibitors of proteolytic enzymes, was elaborated. The procedure was based on parallel derivatization of the amino group in the suitably protected phosphinate building blocks with appropriate alkyl and aryl halides. This synthetic strategy represents an original approach to phosphinic dipeptide chemistry. Its usefulness was confirmed by obtaining a series of P1′ modified phosphinic dipeptides, inhibitors of cytosolic leucine aminopeptidase, through computer-aided design basing on the structure of homophenylalanyl-phenylalanine analogue (hPheP[CH 2 ]Phe) bound in …