Amino Acids, Peptides and Proteins in Organic Chemistry, Building Blocks, Catalysis and Coupling Chemistry

Closing a gap in the literature, this is the only book series to cover this important topic in organic and biochemistry. Drawing upon the combined expertise of the international "who's who" in amino acid research, this series is a real benchmark for amino acid chemistry, providing a comprehensive discussion of the occurrence, uses and applications of amino acids and, by extension, their polymeric forms, peptides and proteins. The practical value of each volume is heightened by the inclusion of experimental procedures. This third volume in the series presents an in depth account of recent developments in the (bio-)synthesis of amino acids and peptides. Divided into two parts, the first section deals with amino acids as building blocks, including the generation of alpha-amino acids, beta-lactams, and heterocycles. The second section is devoted to the synthesis of peptides, with the focus on solid phase synthesis. However, solution phase peptide synthesis is covered as well, as are topics such as coupling reagents, chemical ligation, peptide purification and automation.

Andrew Hughes is a reader and associate professor of chemistry at La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia. He obtained his degrees from the University of Western Australia, before taking up post-doctoral appointments at the University of Cambridge starting in 1989. After three years working with Professor Andrew Holmes, he joined Professor Steven Ley`s group. While at Cambridge he was appointed the Shell Research Fellow at Robinson College. His interests lie in the general field of asymmetric synthesis and methodology, with a recent focus on amino acid chemistry and difficult peptides.