Merrifield Resin

Merrifield Resin
Merrifield resin is the common name for chloromethylated polystyrene crosslinked with 1-2%
divinylbenzene (DVB). It is named for the Nobel prize-winning chemist Bruce Merrifield who
popularized its use in solid phase peptide synthesis. It remains one of the popular resins for Boc
based peptide synthesis. Compounds are attached through nucleophilic displacement of the
chlorine atom. Finished peptides are cleaved commonly cleaved with hydrofluoric acid (HF), but
trifluoromethanesulfonic acid (TFMSA) or trimethylsilyl trifluoromethansulfonate (TMSOTf) can be
used instead. Because it is somewhat acid labile, it is not recommended for synthesizing very
large peptides.
Merrifield resin also is the starting material for a diverse assortment of modified resins. By
attaching different linkers, a wide variety of resins with special applications have been produced.