2,4-Difluoro-D-Phenylalanine is a non-proteinogenic, fluorinated amino acid derivative in which the phenylalanine scaffold bears two fluorine substituents at the 2- and 4-positions of the aromatic ring and the stereocenter is specified as the D-configuration. The molecule contains a free amino group and a free carboxyl group, and the difluoro-substituted side chain provides an electronically modified aryl functionality that can be used to probe how aromatic electronics and halogen substitution affect peptide and protein structure or binding in structure-activity studies. In synthetic and chemical biology workflows, this amino acid is employed as a building block for incorporating a fluorinated aromatic residue into peptides and as a labeling handle for analytical method development, including LC-MS and NMR studies where fluorine-containing motifs improve detectability and enable targeted structural characterization.
CAT No: CP12702
2,4-Difluoro-D-Phenylalanine is a D-configured, non-proteinogenic phenylalanine analog bearing two fluorine atoms at the 2- and 4-positions of the aromatic ring. This fluorinated side-chain provides strong electronic and steric modulation relative to standard phenylalanine, making it a practical building block for structure-activity relationship studies and for the preparation of fluorinated peptide and peptidomimetic scaffolds. Researchers also value this analog for medicinal chemistry workflows where aryl fluorination is used to tune physicochemical properties and to introduce a chemically robust motif for downstream analytical characterization.
1. Peptidomimetic Building Blocks
2,4-Difluoro-D-Phenylalanine is used as a non-natural amino acid building block to introduce an aryl-difluoro motif into peptides, peptidomimetics, and constrained peptide-like structures. Medicinal chemistry groups and peptide material developers commonly incorporate D-configured residues to probe stereochemical effects on conformation, stability, and structure-activity relationships, while the 2,4-difluoro substitution offers a distinct electronic profile compared with unsubstituted phenylalanine. In custom peptide synthesis and SAR library generation, this residue helps create analog series that differ specifically at the aromatic ring while keeping the backbone composition controlled, supporting systematic evaluation of structure-property trends.
2. Medicinal Chemistry SAR Studies
2,4-Difluoro-D-Phenylalanine supports medicinal chemistry programs that require fluorinated aromatic amino acid analogs for SAR and lead optimization. Small-molecule and peptide-drug discovery teams use this building block to systematically vary aryl electronics and steric environment, using the fluorine atoms as a chemically defined handle for property tuning and for clearer interpretation of structure-activity relationships. The D-configuration further enables stereochemical diversification in analog design, which is frequently leveraged to map how absolute configuration influences binding-site geometry and overall scaffold behavior during hit-to-lead refinement.
3. Fluorinated Reference Standards
2,4-Difluoro-D-Phenylalanine is also leveraged as a defined fluorinated amino acid reference for analytical method development and characterization of fluorinated peptide or peptidomimetic intermediates. Analytical chemistry teams use it to confirm identity and retention behavior in LC-based workflows and to support method verification when fluorinated aromatic residues are present in larger constructs. Because the compound contains a stable, distinctive difluoro-substituted aromatic ring, it can serve as a reliable structural reference point when monitoring synthetic progress, conducting impurity profiling, or validating analytical standards used for downstream quality control of fluorinated building blocks and partially assembled intermediates.
4. Pharmaceutical Intermediate Development
2,4-Difluoro-D-Phenylalanine is applied in the preparation of fluorinated pharmaceutical intermediates and specialty chemical building blocks where an aryl-difluoro amino acid motif is required as a downstream precursor. Process development and intermediate manufacturing teams incorporate this residue into protected or activated derivatives as part of longer synthetic sequences leading to fluorinated peptide fragments, peptidomimetic units, and other aryl-fluorinated intermediates. Its defined stereochemistry and robust aryl fluorination make it a practical choice for building consistent analog sets during scale-up-oriented development, where reproducible incorporation of the fluorinated aromatic unit is essential for maintaining structural fidelity across batches.
If you have any peptide synthesis requirement in mind, please do not hesitate to contact us at . We will endeavor to provide highly satisfying products and services.
Creative Peptides is a trusted CDMO partner specializing in high-quality peptide synthesis, conjugation, and manufacturing under strict cGMP compliance. With advanced technology platforms and a team of experienced scientists, we deliver tailored peptide solutions to support drug discovery, clinical development, and cosmetic innovation worldwide.
From custom peptide synthesis to complex peptide-drug conjugates, we provide flexible, end-to-end services designed to accelerate timelines and ensure regulatory excellence. Our commitment to quality, reliability, and innovation has made us a preferred partner across the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and personal care industries.
Read More