The Bailey peptide synthesis is a name reaction in organic chemistry developed 1949 by J. L. Bailey. It is a method for the synthesis of a peptide from α-amino acid-N-carboxylic acid anhydrides (NCAs) and amino acids or peptide esters. The reaction is characterized by short reaction times and a high yield of the target peptide.
The reaction can be carried out at low temperatures in organic solvents. The residues R and R can be organic groups or hydrogen atoms, R is the used amino acid or peptide ester: