Microwave-Assisted Green Solid-Phase Peptide Synthesis Using γ-Valerolactone (GVL) as Solvent
Ashish Kumar†‡, Yahya E. Jad‡, Jonathan M. Collins§, Fernando Albericio*†∥⊥ 
, and Beatriz G. de la Torre*#
† School of Chemistry and Physics, University of KwaZulu-Natal , University Road, Westville, Durban 4001 , South Africa
‡ Catalysis and Peptide Research Unit, School of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, University Road, Westville, Durban 4001 , South Africa
§ CEM Corporation, 3100 Smith Farm Road, Matthews , North Carolina 28104 , United States
∥ Department of Organic Chemistry, University of Barcelona, Martí i Franqués 1-11, Barcelona 08028 , Spain
⊥ CIBER-BBN, Networking Centre on Bioengineering, Biomaterials and Nanomedicine, Barcelona Science Park, Baldiri Reixac 10, Barcelona 08028 , Spain
# KRISP, College of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban 4001 , South Africa
ACS Sustainable Chem. Eng., 2018, 6 (6), pp 8034–8039
DOI: 10.1021/acssuschemeng.8b01531
Publication Date (Web): April 29, 2018
Copyright © 2018 American Chemical Society
*E-mail: albericio@ukzn.ac.za., *E-mail: garciadelatorreb@ukzn.ac.za.
Synopsis
A combination of nature and technology, helping to make greener the synthesis of peptides, is reported.
Abstract
The increasing demand for synthetic peptides in various research fields raises a challenge, namely, the development of greener methods for their preparation. Here we report on an ecofriendly solid-phase peptide synthesis (SPPS) methodology. Substitution of the hazardous solvent DMF by the biomass-derived organic solvent γ-valerolactone (GVL), together with the application of microwave-assisted automated SPPS, allowed the synthesis of peptides with a wide range of lengths and high purity using polystyrene- and polyethylene-glycol-based resins. The yields achieved were comparable to those obtained with standard methodologies. To date, this is the greenest approach reported in terms of the solvent used, waste generated, and energy efficiency.
The Supporting Information is available free of charge on the ACS Publications website at DOI: 10.1021/acssuschemeng.8b01531.
- HPLC and MS data of the synthesized peptides (PDF)
