Studies on Peptides. XXIII. Total Synthesis of Monkey [beta]-Melanocyte-stimulating Hormone

Total synthesis of monkey β-melanocyte-stimulating hormone was described. The synthesis involved in the coupling reaction of Na-t-butoxycarbonyl-β-t-butylaspartyl-γ-t-butylglutamylglycine with prolyltyrosylarginylmethionylglutamylhistidylphenylalanylarginyltryptophylglycylserylprolylprolyl-N[straight epsilon]-formyllysylaspartic acid by the N-hydroxysuccinimide ester method and subsequent removal of all of the protecting groups from the product, i. e., t-butyl and t-butoxycarbonyl groups by trifluoroacetic acid and the formyl group by hydrazine acetate. Synthetic monkey β-MSH exhibited 6×109 and 2.5×1010MSH U/g.