Stereocontrolled synthesis of peptide bond isosteres

Abstract
Absolute stereochemical control is employed in the synthesis of isosteres for dipeptide subunits 1; see Fig. (1) in which the amide linkage has been replaced by a trans carbon-caron double bond. The synthesis affords access to the four stereoisomers of 1 in which R and R' = CH3, including the isostere of D-alanine-d-alanine (D-ala-D-Ala), 2.