Side reactions in the synthesis of phosphotyrosine-containing peptides

A series of phosphopeptides Tyr(PO3H2)-Val-Pro-Xxx-Leu (Xxx=Met, Met(O), Nle, Dab or Cys), derived from the native platelet-derived growth factor-β receptor (PDGF-β) sequence, has been prepared to study their interaction with the src-homology 2 (SH2) domains of the p85 subunit of PI3 kinase. The phosphopeptides were synthesized using Fmoc methodology incorporating Nα-Boc dibenzyl-protected phosphotyrosine (Boc-Tyr[PO3(Bzl)2]) as the N-terminal amino acid, since the benzyl groups can be removed during resin cleavage with TFA. Only peptides containing methionine were found to exist partially as S-benzyl sulfonium salts after TFA cleavage from the resin. The desired peptide could be obtained from the S-benzyl sulfonium salt by hydrogenolysis.