Oxyma [ethyl 2-cyano-2-(hydroxyimino)acetate] has been tested as an additive for use in the carbodiimide approach for formation of peptide bonds. Its performance in relation to those of HOBt and HOAt, which have recently been reported to exhibit explosive properties, is reported. Oxyma displayed a remarkable capacity to inhibit racemization, together with impressive coupling efficiency in both automated and manual synthesis, superior to those of HOBt and at least comparable to those of HOAt, and surpassing the latter coupling agent in the more demanding peptide models. Stability assays showed that there was no risk of capping the resin under standard coupling conditions. Finally, calorimetry assays (DSC and ARC) showed decomposition profiles for benzotriazole-based additives that were consistent with their reported explosivities and suggested a lower risk of explosion in the case of Oxyma.

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A new family of uronium salts (HTMU, HMMU, and HDmPyMU) based on isonitroso Meldrum's acid (HONM) are reported as stand-alone coupling reagents. Amide bond formation with the use of these reagents occurred more quickly than that with other uronium salts as a result of the presence of a neighboring group effect with a cyclic structure. Thus, these novel onium salts were often more effective in the acylation of poor nucleophiles and in the control of optical purity