Peptide–polyethylene glycol conjugates: Synthesis and properties of peptides bearing a C-terminal polyethylene glycol chain Original Research Article

The introduction of a polyethylene glycol chain has become a popular tool for increasing water solubility and bioavailability. Our interest in the development of catalytically active peptides and the selective recognition of peptides has led us to investigate strategies to increase the solubility of peptides in organic solvents. Specifically, we became interested in the introduction of solubilizing moieties at the C-terminus of two peptides. Here we present different synthetic strategies for the preparation of peptide–polyethylene glycol conjugates and discuss the effect of the polyethylene glycol chain on the solubility and other properties, such as the catalytic activity of these peptides.