Replacement of the N-terminal tyrosine residue in opioid peptides with 3-(2,6-dimethyl-4-carbamoylphenyl)propanoic acid (Dcp) results in novel opioid antagonists.

3-(2,6-Dimethyl-4-carbamoylphenyl)propanoic acid (Dcp), a 2',6'-dimethyltyrosine analogue containing a carbamoyl group in place of the hydroxyl function and lacking the amino group, was synthesized. The replacement of Tyr1 in an enkephalin analogue and in dynorphin A(1-11)-NH2 with Dcp resulted in the first opioid peptide-derived antagonists that do not contain a phenolic hydroxyl group at the 1-position residue. The cyclic peptide Dcp-c[D-Cys-Gly-Phe(pNO2)-D-Cys]NH2 represents a novel, potent mu opioid antagonist.