S. aureus (MRSA), wediscovered the unnatural tripeptide LY301621, 1 (Scheme 1). This unnatural tripeptide increases (potentiates) theactivity of methicillin against MRSA (Table 1). It is also a relatively weak stand-alone inhibitor of bacterial growth. Thesynthesis of thetitle compound1 is outlined in Scheme1. Alkylation of ethyl acetamidocyanoacetate anion with bromodiphenylmethane, followed by acid re-flux, affords racemicdiphenylalanine 9 (Dpa). ...