Diphytanoyl lipids as model systems for studying membrane-active peptides.

The branched chains in diphytanoyl lipids provide membranes with unique properties, such as high chemical/physical stability, low water permeability, and no gel-to-fluid phase transition at ambient temperature. Synthetic diphytanoyl phospholipids are often used as model membranes for electrophysiological experiments. To evaluate whether these sturdy lipids are also suitable for solid-state NMR, we have examined their interactions with a typical amphiphilic peptide in comparison with straight-chain lipids.

4-Fluoro-2,4-methanoproline.

The first fluorinated analogue of the naturally occurring 2,4-methanoproline, 4-fluoro-2,4-methanoproline, has been synthesized in five steps from commercially available methyl 2-fluoroacrylate through a photochemical cyclization as a key step in generating a 2-azabicyclo[2.1.1]hexane skeleton.