Functionalization of Sulfonamide-Containing Peptides through Late-Stage Palladium-Catalyzed C(sp3)-H Arylation.

Bioactive peptides are emerging as promising candidates of clinic therapeutics. Here, we report a method for late-stage functionalization of sulfonamide-containing peptides through Pd-catalyzed C(sp3)-H arylation. In this protocol, the backbones of N-sulfonated peptides act as directing groups, which allows site-specific arylation of benzylsulfonamide moiety. This chemistry exhibits broad substrate scope and can be utilized to synthesize peptide-peptide and peptide-amino acid conjugates. Our results highlight the potency of the backbone of peptidomimetics in promoting Pd-catalyzed functionalization.