10.1021/jo900222g
The study investigates the synthesis and structural properties of stable peptide helices incorporating CR-tetrasubstituted R-amino acids, specifically focusing on the unnatural amino acid rac-14. The researchers synthesized 13 different peptides with lengths up to eight residues, using alternating sequences of rac-14 and (S)- or (R)-valine. The peptides were characterized by X-ray diffraction, NMR, and CD measurements. The results showed that peptides with an all-S backbone configuration formed right-handed 310-helices, while those with an all-R configuration formed left-handed 310-helices in both solid state and solution. The study demonstrates the potential of these peptides as scaffolds and peptidomimetics due to their stable and predictable secondary structures.