Synthesis of chirally labelled cysteines and the steric origin of C(5) in penicillin biosynthesis
Abstract
The (2R, 3R)-[2,3-3H2]- and (2R, 3S)-[3-3H]- forms of cysteine have been synthesised and used to show that the incorporation of C-3 of cyst(e)ine into penicillin G proceeds with overall retention of stereochemistry.