H-alpha-Me-D-Cys-OH*HCl

H-alpha-Me-D-Cys-OH*HCl is a modified, non-proteinogenic amino acid derivative featuring a D-configured cysteine backbone bearing an alpha-methyl substituent and a thiol-containing side chain (-CH2-SH) characteristic of cysteine chemistry. The molecule contains an amino group and a carboxylic acid, while the thiol functionality can participate in thiol-disulfide or thiol-alkylation chemistry, and the "*HCl" denotes formation of a hydrochloride salt that provides ionic stabilization of the basic amine. As a chemically defined cysteine analogue, it is used in peptide and amino-acid derivative synthesis and in chemical biology workflows such as structure-activity studies, thiol-reactivity labeling design, and preparation of more complex sulfur-functionalized building blocks.

Designed for biological research and industrial applications, not intended for individual clinical or medical purposes.

CAT No: CP25649

CAS No:239101-34-9

Synonyms/Alias:239101-34-9;2-methyl-d-cysteine;AmbotzHAA5180;D-Cysteine,2-methyl-;D-2-METHYLCYSTEINE;SCHEMBL64140;H-ALPHA-ME-D-CYS-OH;(S)-ALPHA-METHYLCYSTEINE;CTK0J5354;ZINC13525846;AKOS006284987;AB56457;(2S)-2-AMINO-3-MERCAPTO-2-METHYLPROPANOICACID

Chemical Name:a-Methyl-D-cystein, (S)-2-Amino-3-mercapto-2-methylpropionic acid hydrochloride

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M.F/Formula
C4H9NO2S
M.W/Mr.
135,18*36.45 g/mole

H-alpha-Me-D-Cys-OH*HCl is a D-cysteine-derived amino acid hydrochloride in which the alpha carbon bears a methyl substituent (α-methyl) and the thiol-containing side chain remains in a cysteine framework, with the amino and carboxyl functionalities present as a salt form. The D-configuration at the stereogenic center and the α-methyl substitution impose defined steric and stereoelectronic constraints that can influence peptide coupling geometry and side-chain accessibility. The thiol group can be protected, activated, or chemoselectively transformed under standard cysteine chemistry, while the hydrochloride counterion supports handling as a stable, water-compatible amino acid intermediate. As an amino acid building block and chiral precursor, H-alpha-Me-D-Cys-OH*HCl participates in protected amino acid synthesis and downstream peptide and thio-functional derivative construction where stereochemical fidelity is required.

1. Peptide Synthesis

H-alpha-Me-D-Cys-OH*HCl is employed in peptide building block preparation for solid-phase or solution-phase peptide synthesis where a D-amino acid residue and an α-methylated backbone are required for conformational control. The free carboxyl and amino groups enable standard peptide coupling after conversion to an appropriate activated form, while the thiol side chain can be managed through cysteine thiol protection strategies to prevent disulfide formation or side reactions. Incorporation of the α-methyl stereocenter can modulate turn propensity and protease susceptibility in peptide analogs, supporting peptide construction for mechanistic studies and sequence optimization. The salt form can also facilitate accurate dosing and intermediate handling during synthesis workflows, linking amino acid derivatization chemistry to practical peptide manufacturing operations.

2. Peptidomimetics And SAR

H-alpha-Me-D-Cys-OH*HCl is suitable for peptidomimetic construction and structure-activity relationship studies where cysteine thiochemistry and D-configuration are used to tune binding-site interactions and metabolic stability. The α-methyl substituent and D-stereochemistry can bias backbone conformations, while the sulfur functionality supports conversion to thioethers, sulfoxides, disulfide-bridged motifs, or thiol-reactive handles depending on the protection and oxidation state selected. The amino acid backbone can be coupled into constrained scaffolds that mimic bioactive peptide pharmacophores while maintaining defined stereochemical outcomes during analog generation. Downstream derivatives prepared from this intermediate can feed medicinal chemistry libraries focused on side-chain positioning and stereochemical SAR mapping.

3. Bioconjugation Chemistry

H-alpha-Me-D-Cys-OH*HCl supports bioconjugation and chemical biology workflows that rely on cysteine-like thiol reactivity, including attachment strategies for probes, linkers, and functional tags. The thiol-bearing side chain can be protected during peptide assembly and subsequently deprotected to generate a controlled thiolate for conjugation to electrophilic partners such as maleimides, haloacetamides, or activated esters, enabling site-specific functionalization patterns. D-amino acid incorporation and α-methyl substitution can improve resistance to enzymatic degradation of conjugated biomolecule constructs, which may be relevant for reagent stability in biochemical assays. The hydrochloride salt form can simplify storage and handling as a chiral amino acid starting material for producing conjugation-ready derivatives.

4. Protected Amino Acid Intermediate

H-alpha-Me-D-Cys-OH*HCl serves as a chiral amino acid intermediate for protected amino acid synthesis in which the amine, carboxyl, and thiol functionalities are selectively masked to control chemoselectivity. The presence of a stereogenic D-center alongside an α-methyl group enables predictable stereochemical transfer into N-protected and C-terminal activated derivatives used for peptide coupling. Thiol protection strategies can be selected to match the intended downstream transformations, such as orthogonal deprotection sequences that allow sequential assembly of complex peptide fragments. The resulting protected derivatives can be used as manufacturing intermediates for fine chemical synthesis and for producing stereochemically defined cysteine-containing peptide building blocks at scale.

5. Analytical Standards And Method Development

H-alpha-Me-D-Cys-OH*HCl can be applied in analytical research as a stereochemically defined reference material for amino acid profiling, derivatization method validation, and chiral analysis workflows. The combination of D-configuration and α-methyl substitution creates a distinct chromatographic and derivatization signature compared with standard L-cysteine, supporting method discrimination in complex matrices. The thiol functionality enables controlled derivatization to stable adducts for detection, while the hydrochloride salt form supports consistent sample preparation and reproducible ionization behavior. Analytical use of this amino acid intermediate can extend to monitoring peptide synthesis intermediates and verifying stereochemical integrity during peptide building block preparation and subsequent transformations.

6. Process Chemistry Intermediate

H-alpha-Me-D-Cys-OH*HCl is relevant to process chemistry and specialty chemical production as a chiral intermediate that can be routed into protected cysteine derivatives and peptide-grade building blocks. The amino acid salt form supports practical handling in batch operations, while the defined functional group set enables conversion into activated coupling partners and thiol-protected forms under controlled protection/deprotection logic. α-Methylation and D-stereochemistry provide a controllable stereochemical element that can reduce variability in downstream peptide analog synthesis and thio-functional derivative formation. Industrially, the compound can function as a feedstock for producing stereochemically specified intermediates that align with peptide construction supply chains and applied biochemical research reagent manufacturing.

Size
0 g;
InChI
1S/C4H9NO2S/c1-4(5,2-8)3(6)7/h8H,2,5H2,1H3,(H,6,7)/t4-/m1/s1
InChI Key
NZBONMFLYFGTAC-SCSAIBSYSA-N
Canonical SMILES
CC(CS)(C(=O)O)N

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