Penicillin acylase phenylacetyl group removal

An additional interesting acyl-type -protection is the phenylacetyl group that is enzymatically removed with penicillin G acylase (see Section 2.5). 

The use of an expandase to convert penicillins to cephalosporins (9.36) also replaced a more expensive multistep chemical synthesis.238 Penicillin acylase has also been used to remove phenylacetyl protecting groups from amines in the synthesis of oligonucleotides.239... 

The phenylacetyl N-protecting group can be removed using penicillin G acylase under mild conditions which preserve sensitive peptide bonds, C-terminal esters and phosphate groups. A novel phosphate prodrug system 46 for amines, amino acids and peptides has been reported. 

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