An orthogonal protecting group strategy was devised to synthesize hydroxamic acid containing peptides for biomimetic histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibition. The basic building block was a protected aminosuberic acid (Asu) derivative bearing a protected hydroxamate in the side-chain, related closely to HDAC inhibitors that are transition-state analogs of acetyllysine. These inhibitors include suberoylanilide hydroxamic acid (SAHA), ...