Synthesis of new unnatural N(α)-Fmoc pyrimidin-4-one amino acids: use of the p-benzyloxybenzyloxy group as a pyrimidinone masking group.

The p-benzyloxybenzyloxy group is used to mask the oxo function of the 4(3H)-pyrimidinone ring in the synthesis of new unnatural amino acids. The synthetic approach is based on an aromatic nucleophilic substitution reaction between 4-[4-(benzyloxy)benzyloxy]-2-(benzylsulfonyl)pyrimidine and the nucleophilic side chain of several N(α)-Boc amino esters, as the key step, followed by a series of standard protecting group transformations. p-Benzyloxybenzyloxy is efficiently removed under mild acid conditions to recover the 4(3H)-pyrimidinone system.