We have found that guanidine acetate catalyses the transformation of a

-benzyl-aspartyl peptide (Boc-Asp-(OBzl)-Leu-Trp-OMe) to an aminosuccinyl peptide (Boc-
Asu-Leu-Trp-OMe). The reaction was accompanied by partial epimerization. However, not even a small amount of epimerization could be detected when the aminosuccinyl peptide was synthesised from Boc-Asp-Leu-Trp-OMe with the addition of DIC, HOPfp and guanidine acetate (as a catalyst). This reaction seems to be suitable for the epimerization-free solid phase synthesis of aminosuccinyl peptides, e.g. Asu
6-Lamprey-III-GnRH (Glp-His-Trp-Ser-His-
Asu-Trp-Lys-Pro-Gly-NH
2).
Keywords Aminosuccinimide - Racemization - Peptide synthesis