For-Ala-OMe contains an alanine-derived amino acid methyl ester motif, featuring a methyl ester at the carboxyl terminus and a free or esterified amino functionality consistent with an amino acid ester class rather than a free amino acid. The molecule bears the alanine side chain (a methyl substituent) and the amino group, with the O-methyl ester substituting for the terminal carboxylic acid to alter polarity and chemoselectivity during synthesis and handling. For-Ala-OMe is used as an amino acid ester building block in peptide and amide bond construction workflows, where the ester form can be employed to control reactivity of the carboxyl functionality and to generate alanine-containing intermediates for subsequent coupling or conversion to other peptide-related derivatives.
CAT No: CP26994
CAS No:32221-83-3
Synonyms/Alias:FOR-ALA-OME;32221-83-3;Formyl-L-alaninemethylester;AC1ODVBY;Alanine,N-formyl-,methylester;SCHEMBL5638650;L-Alanine,N-formyl-,methylester;N-Formyl-L-alaninemethylester;CTK8F9923;methyl(2S)-2-formamidopropanoate;ZINC2572085;7006AH;AKOS006275708;AK187111;K-7522;44804-83-3
For-Ala-OMe is the N-formyl protected alanine methyl ester, featuring an alanine backbone with a stereogenic center at the alpha carbon and a methyl ester at the carboxyl terminus. The N-formyl group masks the amino functionality as an amide, while the ester provides a defined, reactive C-terminal handle for downstream peptide coupling or selective transformations. The combination of a chiral amino acid core and orthogonally addressable carbonyl functions enables controlled deprotection and functional group interconversion in peptide building-block workflows. The compound typically participates in peptide synthesis chemistry as a protected amino acid ester and can be converted into carboxy-activated derivatives or reconfigured into alternative protecting-group patterns for synthetic strategy design.
1. Peptide Synthesis
For-Ala-OMe supports peptide building block preparation in solid-phase or solution-phase peptide coupling schemes where a C-terminal ester serves as a controllable precursor for activation and coupling. The N-formyl amide provides an amino-protection element that can be retained during ester-based manipulations and then removed or transformed under conditions compatible with peptide assembly. The alpha-amino stereocenter of the alanine residue enables stereochemically defined incorporation into growing peptide chains, supporting consistent diastereochemical outcomes in peptide analog construction. The resulting derivatives can be used to generate Ala-containing sequences, including short peptide standards and protected fragments used in iterative synthesis.
2. Protected Amino Acid Chemistry
For-Ala-OMe functions as a chiral amino acid ester intermediate for derivatization strategies that require orthogonal reactivity between the ester carbonyl and the N-formyl amide. The methyl ester can undergo hydrolysis to the free acid, transesterification, or conversion into activated carboxylic acid derivatives for coupling chemistry, while the N-formyl group governs amide formation and selective deprotection planning. The presence of two distinct carbonyl environments enables route design for protecting-group switching, such as moving from ester-based intermediates to acid-based coupling partners without disturbing the stereocenter. Downstream, the compound can feed into protected amino acid libraries and process chemistry intermediate preparation where controlled functional group timing is required.
3. Peptidomimetic Construction
For-Ala-OMe can be applied in peptidomimetic and structure-analog synthesis where alanine-derived fragments are used to modulate backbone recognition and conformational properties. The chiral alanine core and the protected amide/ester functionality allow incorporation into amide-linked scaffolds while enabling later functionalization at the C-terminal position through ester-to-acid or ester-to-activated species transformations. The N-formyl group can serve as a temporary protection element during scaffold assembly, supporting sequential introduction of additional side-chain or terminal modifications. The resulting alanine-containing intermediates can be used to build constrained or modified peptide-like molecules for biochemical research and SAR studies.
4. Chemical Biology Labeling
For-Ala-OMe is suitable for chemical biology workflows that require amino acid-derived handles for conjugation chemistry and analytical tagging. The methyl ester and N-formyl amide provide defined carbonyl-based functional groups that can be converted into carboxylate forms for coupling to amine-bearing linkers, affinity tags, or reporter moieties. The stereochemically defined alanine unit helps maintain structural fidelity when alanine residues are used as recognition elements in probes, standards, or enzyme-substrate analogs. The compound can therefore serve as a precursor for labeled amino acid derivatives and conjugation-ready intermediates used in biochemical investigation.
5. Process Chemistry Intermediate
For-Ala-OMe can be employed as a manufacturing-oriented chiral intermediate for fine chemical synthesis routes that build protected amino acid derivatives and peptide fragments. The N-formyl protection and methyl ester functionality provide a stable, isolable form that can be transformed into coupling-ready carboxylic acid derivatives while maintaining stereochemical integrity of the alanine center. The orthogonal carbonyl reactivity supports stepwise process design, including ester hydrolysis and subsequent activation for downstream synthesis of protected peptides or peptide-like intermediates. The compound's defined structure makes it compatible with controlled protecting-group strategies used in industrial intermediate preparation and scalable amino acid derivative production.
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