Merrifield Resin

Merrifield Solid Phase Peptide Synthesis Resin

The Merrifield resin has in the past been the standard support for the synthesis of peptide acids by Boc strategy. Originally, the cesium salt of a protected amino acid was anchored to the chloromethyl support via nucleophilic displacement of chlorine. Although, Me4N salts, sodium salts in THF with Bu4NF catalysis and more recently Zinc salts in EtOH have also been used. Cleavage can be effected by treatment of resin with HF or TFMSA, by hydrogenolysis, and by treatment with trimethyltin hydroxide. Alcohols can be released using reducing agents such as diisobutylaluminium hydride or LiBH4. Methyl esters can be produced by transesterification with methoxide. Alcohols can coupled to chloromethyl resin by heating together in DMF the resin and corresponding potassium or sodium alkoxide.