Practical synthesis of unsymmetrical polyamine amides

Article abstract of DOI:10.1016/S0040-4039(97)10542-1

Desymmetrisation of readily available symmetrical polyamines is an important first step in the synthesis of many polyamine containing natural products. Likewise in the synthesis of polyamine amides which are potentially useful for gene delivery and as neuroprotectants, based upon channel blocking toxins found in certain wasp and spider venoms. The application of trifluoroacetyl as a protecting group allows unsymmetrical polyamine amides to be easily prepared on a gram scale.