SPOTs Explanation

DMF is used for washing and also acts as the solvent for the synthesis reagents (amino acids, activators, etc.)

Acetic Anhydride is used as a "capping" agent to terminate sequences that experienced a failed amino acid coupling at any particular coupling step.  Theoretically, if the capping is 100% efficient there should be no deletion sequences in the peptides.  Impurities will be truncation sequences.

Piperidine is used to deblock or remove the temporary Fmoc protecting groups on the N-terminal amine.  Fmoc is the abbreviation for 9-Fluorenylmethoxycarbonyl group that serves as a temporary protecting group for the terminal amine.

Methanol washing of the membrane is necessary in helping the membrane dry.  DMF does not evaporate well.

Dichloromethane (DCM), trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) and Triisopropyl silane (TIS) constitute the cleavage cocktail.  This cocktail will remove the side chain protecting groups of some amino acids.