Solid-phase combinatorial synthesis of peptide-biphenyl hybrids as calpain inhibitors

[structure: see text] The combinatorial parallel synthesis of peptide-biphenyl hybrids on solid support using state of the art of peptide synthesis is reported. Key steps were the N to C addition of an amino moiety, hydrolysis of the methyl ester, and the absence of cross-linked compounds when the 2,2'-diamino-1,1'-biphenyl was incorporated. When tested for activity as calpain inhibitors, some of the compounds exhibited IC(50) values in the nanomolar range.