Preparation of dehydropeptides

摘要

A preparation of azlactones represented by the formula II wherein R is a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl, aryl or nitrogen containing heterocyclic group, and R1 is an N-blocked amino acid residue or peptide chain, and stereoisomers thereof, by oxidizing the corresponding saturated azlactone with a benzoquinone oxidizing agent in the presence of a base is disclosed. The unsaturated azlactones, some of which are novel, can be converted to dehydro peptides, which are useful as intermediates for preparing novel biologically active compounds, or themselves have biological activity.