Synthesis, Circular Dichroism, and X-Ray Structure Analysis of P-Nitrostyrene Adducts of CysteineAll four isomeric N-acetyl-S-(2-nitro-l-phenylethyl)cysteines were synthesized by addition of N-acetyl-L-and -D-cysteine to P-nitrostyrene. Fractional crystallization gave the two diastereomers of both the L-and D-CySteine derivatives, which do not differ significantly in their 'H and I3C NMR spectra or IR and UV absorption. However, they exhibit characteristic Cotton effects with opposite signs at 285 nm. In this range of wave lengths the chiroptical properties of the adducts depend entirely on the configuration of the new center of asymmetry. Its immediate environment is formed by the nitro group, the sulfide group, and the phenyl residue. X-Ray analysis of that b-nitrostyrene adduct of N-acetyl-L-cysteine, which has a negative long wave length Cotton effect revealed its ( R , R ) configuration. It is shown that the configuration of configurational isomers and of various substituted analogues of the S-(2-nitro-l-phenylethyl) group may be also determined by CD measurements.Die Thiolgruppe des Cysteins addiert an B-Nitrostyrole unter Bildung von S-(2-Nitro-1-phenylethy1)-Derivaten'). Wir haben die Anwendbarkeit der P-Nitrostyrole als SH-Schutzgruppe zu Peptidsynthesen untersucht, da Addukte wie N-tert-Butoxycarbon yl-S-( 2-nit ro-1 -p henylethy1)-L-cystein leich t zuganglich sind ' 3 *).Bei der Addition eines chiralen Thiols wie N-Acetyl-L-cystein an P-Nitrostyrol bildet sich ein weiteres Asymmetriezentrum (s. Formelschema); es entstehen somit zwei Diastereomere in gleicher Menge, sofern nicht eine Konfiguration bevorzugt ist. Bei syste-