β-(3-Thienyl)-L-alanine (CAS 3685-51-6)

β-(3-Thienyl)-L-alanine is a compound of interest in the field of organic chemistry and materials science. As an amino acid with a thiophene side chain, it is investigated for its incorporation into peptides and proteins to study the effects of non-natural amino acids on structure and function. The thiophene moiety makes β-(3-Thienyl)-L-alanine particularly interesting for the design of conductive polymers and the development of novel materials with electronic properties, as thiophenes are known for their ability to conduct electricity when polymerized. In addition, this amino acid derivative is used in research focused on understanding molecular recognition and enzyme-substrate interactions, as the incorporation of non-standard amino acids can significantly alter these processes. The compound also serves as a building block in the synthesis of peptidomimetics, which are molecules that mimic the biological activity of peptides and are used to probe various biological pathways.