Conjugates of catecholamines. III. Synthesis and characterization of monodisperse oligopeptides conjugates related to isoproterenol.

A series of monodisperse oligopeptide conjugates related to the catecholamine, isoproterenol, has been synthesized. The peptide carrier molecules used were synthesized by stepwise and fragment condensation techniques and ranged in size from a single, blocked amino acid derivative to isomeric pentapeptides. The amino acid compositions and sequences of the carriers were chosen so as to provide specific information concerning the effects of molecular weight, hydrophilic/hydrophobic balance, charge, etc., on the biological activity of the final conjugates. The common point of attachment for the drug in all carriers was a p-aminophenylalanine residue. The peptide-catecholamine conjugates were prepared via the attachment of carboxyl-containing catecholamine congeners, to the peptide carriers by techniques described previously. The conjugates were purified rigorously by chromatographic techniques and characterized by high-field n.m.r. spectroscopy.