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Marianne Komek

[solved] Can you explain a +44 mass difference in peptide synthesis?

Dave McGlade  Follow




Hi all,

we had some troubles with the ESI-MS unit over Christmas (Nitrogen supply was off...) but now I have the final results for my idea: It works!
As I suggested, it was indeed the COO from incomplete Boc removal from the Trp amino acid in my sequence. After re-freeze drying from 0.1 M acetic acid, it's completely gone and I increased the crude yield for about 50% from initially ca. 50% to now ca. 75%. Please see the attached image.

I'm not sure if I would have the same result if I would just collect the +44 peak during preparative HPLC as well in one fraction with the main product. Since I do freeze-drying from 0.1% TFA solution (as we add this to the mobile phase for prep. HPLC), the COO removal should work as well, right? However, I would not try this now. I may do it in the future if I should face the same issue.

In think increasing the cleavage time and optional the cleavage cocktail volume will do the same job with less effort.

Marcus

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Damien Leimbach  Follow

COO+ just before the decarboxylation of an internal organic acid portion of the peptide.

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Burtay Mutlu  Follow




Hi all,

we had some troubles with the ESI-MS unit over Christmas (Nitrogen supply was off...) but now I have the final results for my idea: It works!
As I suggested, it was indeed the COO from incomplete Boc removal from the Trp amino acid in my sequence. After re-freeze drying from 0.1 M acetic acid, it's completely gone and I increased the crude yield for about 50% from initially ca. 50% to now ca. 75%. Please see the attached image.

I'm not sure if I would have the same result if I would just collect the +44 peak during preparative HPLC as well in one fraction with the main product. Since I do freeze-drying from 0.1% TFA solution (as we add this to the mobile phase for prep. HPLC), the COO removal should work as well, right? However, I would not try this now. I may do it in the future if I should face the same issue.

In think increasing the cleavage time and optional the cleavage cocktail volume will do the same job with less effort.

Marcus

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Ali Zaker Apurbo  Follow

Thank you for your answers!

Newton, do you have a mechanism how Alanine in my sequence could be modified to the molecule you suggested? I'm not sure where a hydroxyethyl group could be added somewhere, the peptide chain is completely protected during synthesis (not during cleavage).

Bruce, I just have one acid (Glu) in my sequence. If decarboxylation occurs, it would be -44 difference. But I got a different idea, listen:

Could it be that the Boc group of Trp side chain is just partially left (only [C(CH3)3]+) and COOH group is left? This could explain the difference of +44. I think I have read this somewhere somewhen in the past but cannot find it anymore. I have to search more deeply but this could be the explanation. I roughly remember that freeze-drying from 1M Acetic acid does the job. If I found out I'll keep you posted.

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Cameron J. Smith  Follow




All right, I think I have the solution. I found it in thefollowing book:
Book Fmoc Solid-Phase Peptide Synthesis: A Practical Approach

on page 67 (table 5, Side reactions encountered during cleavage reactions), there is the explanation I mentioned in my last post (it's inclomplete Boc removal from Trp). I will increase the volume of the cleavage cocktail and maybe the cleavage time (was already 4 hours) next time. I had it once in the past.

I'll do lyophilization over Christmas from 0.1 % acetic acid and do the analysis later. I'll keep you posted and hope this will solve the problem (its about half of my product!).

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Chukwuebuka Sunday  Follow

Hi,
presence of N-(2-hydroxyethyl)-beta-Alanine could explain it?

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Carol Campbell  Follow

Thank you Bruce.
What I got is the crude peptide after cleavage off the resin with TFA/Phenol/TIS/Water mixture. The pH is VERY acidic, precipitation in Et2O and then filtration. Analytical HPLC with Acetonitrile/water and 0.1 % formic acid, pH 2-3. No way for alkaline conditions. The Alanine in my case is part of the peptide chain, so it's just amide bond and the CH3 side chain. C-terminus is amide.

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Angus Mccamant  Follow

In my case I was dealing with a barbiturate (a small molecule) which had a ring opening under alkaline conditions followed by a rapid decarboxylation. Glutamic Acid has a COOH like alanine. Check the pH!

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