From intermolecular and intramolecular competition experiments, it has been established that, by comparison with an N-methyl substituent, an N-acetyl group deactivates glycine residues in piperazine-2,5-diones towards free-radical bromination. Combined with the ease of introduction and removal of N-acetyl substituents, the deactivating effect provides a method for regiocontrolled functionalization of these compounds.