Didehydroamino Acids (DDAA) and Didehydropeptides (DDP)

Syntheses, reactions, and spectroscopic investigations in the field of didehydroamino acids published between 1982 and October 1987 are reviewed. A survey of natural compounds containing this subunit is also given. 1. Introduction 2. Syntheses of Didehydroamino Acids and Didehydropeptides 2.1. Syntheses via Elimination Reactions 2.2. Syntheses via C-C Bond Formation 3. Syntheses of Didehydropeptides by Amide Formation 3.1. Merrifield Peptide Synthesis 4. Isolation, Structure Elucidation, and Syntheses of Natural Products Containing Didehydroamino Acids 4.1. Syntheses of Peptide Hormones Containing Didehydroamino Acids 4.2. Didehydropeptides from Bacteria 4.3. Didehydropeptides from Fungi 4.4. Didehydropeptides from Marine Organisms 5. Reactions of Didehydroamino Acids 5.1. Reactions at the α,β-Double Bond 5.2. Reactions at the Carboxyl Function 5.3. Reactions at Nitrogen 6. Spectroscopic and Physical-Chemical Investigations of Didehydroamino Acids and Didehydropeptides