A non-enzymatically self cleaving dipeptide element is provided that can be linked to known medicinal agents via an amide bond. The dipeptide will spontaneously be cleaved from the medicinal agent under physiological conditions through a reaction driven by chemical instability. Accordingly, the dipeptide element provides a means of linking various compounds to known medicinal agents wherein the compounds are subsequently released from the medicinal agent after a predetermined time of exposure to physiological conditions. For example, the dipeptide can be linked to an active site of a drug to form a prodrug and/or the dipeptide may comprise a depot polymer to sequester an injectable composition comprising the complex at the point of administration.