Student-Driven Design of Peptide Mimetics: Microwave-Assisted Synthesis of Peptoid Oligomers

An experiment for the undergraduate organic laboratory is described in which peptide mimetic oligomers called “peptoids” are built stepwise on a solid-phase resin. Students employ two modern strategies to facilitate rapid multistep syntheses: solid-phase techniques to obviate the need for intermediate purifications and microwave irradiation to enhance reaction rates. The modular reaction protocol is compatible with a vast array of reagents, allowing students to design unique oligomer sequences and to get a sense of modern drug-discovery processes. Students compare reactions performed both with and without microwave irradiation for a collaborative learning experience.