PEPTIDES CONTAINING 2-FLUOROPHENYLALANINE, 3- OR 4-FLUOROPHENYLALANINE OR 2,2-DIFLUOROPHENYLALANINE 3,3-DIFLUOROPHENYLALANINE AS POTENTIAL INHIBITORS OF HIV PROTEASE

A series of peptide mimetic substrates of the HIV-1 protease, correspo nding substantially to the amino acid sequence of the Tyr-Pro cleavage site contained in the gag polyprotein, in which the tyrosine amino ac id of the scissile bond was replaced by 2-, 3- or 4-fluorophenylalanin e or 2,2- or 3,3-difluorophenylalanine, has been developed. The synthe sis of these compounds and the results of inhibition studies are descr ibed.