Solution-phase synthesis of 2-cyano and 2-amido aziridinyl peptides

Starting from a library of 2-l-α-amino acyl (E)-acrylonitriles, different short 2-cyano and 2-amido aziridinyl peptides, potential protease inhibitors, were obtained under parallel solution-phase conditions. The transformations include careful selection of conditions for aziridine deprotection and cyano group partial hydrolysis.