Synthesis of DTT analogues and applications of DTT and immobilized DTT

The work involved in my research project is sponsored by an Industrial NSERC Scholarship and so is centred around the interests of the sponsoring company, BioVectra™ dcl. As dithiothreitol, or DTT, is one of BioVectra™ dcl's major products, they were interested in new methods of synthesis and new applications for DTT analogues. The aim of the work was to find more economical methods of synthesis of DTT isomers than those currently used by BioVectra™ dcl, as well as to find new applications for it.

The first part of the project was to find new ways to make dithiothreitol. Two different methods were tried, both from new starting materials. The challenge was the synthesis of these starting materials.

The second part of the project was the synthesis of another possible starting material, butadiene diepoxide. It would be prepared by the oxidation of butadiene.

The focus of the project was then changed to finding new applications for DTT and applications for new products being made by BioVectra dcl. These new products were all polymer-supported versions of DTT. (Abstract shortened by UMI.).