The synthesis and structural characterization of novel N-meta-ferrocenyl benzoyl dipeptide esters

A series of novel N-meta-ferrocenyl benzoyl dipeptide esters (2–5) have been prepared by coupling meta-ferrocenyl benzoic acid (1) to the dipeptide ethyl esters using the conventional 1,3-dicyclohexylcarbodiimide (DCC), 1-hydroxybenzotriazole (HOBt) protocol. The dipeptides employed were GlyGly(OEt) (2), GlyAla(OEt) (3), GlyLeu(OEt) (4) and GlyPhe(OEt) (5). The compounds were fully characterized by a range of NMR spectroscopic techniques and by mass spectrometry (MALDI-MS, ESI-MS).