The N-Boc O-tert-butyldimethysilyi-substituted hexa-beta -peptide methyl ester 18 was constructed from the O-TBS ether of (-)-(2R, 3S)-phenylisoserine. By NMR, it was determined that this home beta -peptide adopts a highly stable beta -strand-type secondary structure in chloroform solution, which is stabilized by both hydrophobic interactions involving the OTBS methyl groups of residues i and i + 2, and inter-(five-membered)/intra (six-membered)-residue H-bonding interactions. These interactions are systematically repeated along the peptide chain and, thereby, operate in concert to stabilize the observed conformation of 18.