Interactions with aromatic rings in chemical and biological recognition

Intermolecular interactions involving aromatic rings are key processes in both chemical and biological recognition. Their understanding is essential for rational drug design and lead optimization in medicinal chemistry. Different approaches-biological studies, molecular recognition studies with artificial receptors, crystallographic database mining, gas-phase studies, and theoretical calculations-are pursued to generate a profound understanding of the structural and energetic parameters of individual recognition modes involving aromatic rings. This review attempts to combine and summarize the knowledge gained from these investigations. The review focuses mainly on examples with biological relevance since one of its aims it to enhance the knowledge of molecular recognition forces that is essential for drug development.     

Thermodynamics of the molecular and chiral recognition of cycloalkanols and camphor by modified beta-cyclodextrins possessing simple aromatic tethers

The complex stability constants (K(S)) and thermodynamic parameters (DeltaG degrees, DeltaH degrees, and TDeltaS degrees ) for 1:1 inclusion complexation of beta-cyclodextrin (beta-CD) derivatives, 6-O-phenyl-beta-CD (2) 6-O-(4-formyl-phenyl)-beta-CD (3), 6-O-(4-nitrophenyl)-beta-CD (4), 6-O-(4-bromophenyl)-beta-CD (5), 6-O-(4-chlorophenyl)]-beta-CD (6), and 6-O-(4-hydroxybenzoyl)-beta-CD (7) with representative guest molecules, cyclic alcohols (cyclopentanol, cyclohexanol, cycloheptanol, cyclooctanol), (+/-)-borneol, and (+/-)-camphor, have been determined by means of titration microcalorimetry in an aqueous phosphate buffer solution (pH = 7.20) at 298.15 K. The results obtained indicate that the introduction to beta-CD of an aromatic ring bearing different substituent groups significantly enhances the molecular binding ability and moderately alters the chiral discrimination ability for the guests examined here, displaying the highest enantioselectivity of up to 4.01 for the inclusion complexation of 6 with (+/-)-camphor. The enhanced molecular/chiral discrimination ability caused by derivatization is attributed solely to increased positive entropy changes due to the expanding hydrophobic interaction and desolvation effects. The binding modes of host-guest interactions derived from ROESY spectroscopy data show that the resulting complex of 4 and (+)-borneol possesses better induced-fit interaction as compared to (-)-borneol, which is responsible for the enhanced molecular/chiral recognition ability.     

Complexation and chiral recognition thermodynamics of 6-amino-6-deoxy-beta-cyclodextrin with anionic, cationic, and neutral chiral guests: counterbalance between van der Waals and coulombic interactions

The stability constant (K), standard free energy (Delta G degrees), enthalpy (Delta H degrees), and entropy changes (T Delta S degrees) for the complexation of 6-amino-6-deoxy-beta-cyclodextrin with more than 50 negatively or positively charged as well as neutral guests, including 22 enantiomer pairs, have been determined in aqueous phosphate buffer (pH 6.9) at 298.15 K by titration microcalorimetry. The thermodynamic parameters obtained in this study and the relevant data for native beta-cyclodextrin indicate that the complexation and chiral discrimination behavior of the cationic host with charged guests are governed by the critical counterbalance between the electrostatic interactions of the charged groups in host and guest and the conventional intracavity interactions of the hydrophobic moiety of guest, such as hydrophobic, van der Waals, solvation/desolvation, and hydrogen-bonding interactions.     

Synthesis of phosphoryl-tethered beta-cyclodextrins and their molecular and chiral recognition thermodynamics

Two novel phosphoryl-bridged bis- and tris(beta-cyclodextrin)s of different tether lengths, i.e., bis[m-(N-(6-cyclodextryl)-2-aminoethylaminosulfonyl)phenyl]-m-(chlorosulfonyl)phenylphosphine oxide (5) and tris[m-(N-(6-cyclodextryl)-8-amino-3,6-diazaoctylaminosulfonyl)phenyl]phosphine oxide (6), have been synthesized by reactions of 6-oligo(ethylenediamino)-6-deoxy-beta-cyclodextrins with tris[m-(chlorosulfonyl)phenyl]phosphine oxide. The complex stability constants (K(S)), standard molar enthalpy (Delta H degrees ), and entropy changes (Delta S degrees ) were determined at 25 degrees C for the inclusion complexation of phosphoryl-modified bis- and tris-cyclodextrins (5 and 6, respectively), mono[6-O-(ethoxyhydroxyphosphoryl)]-beta-cyclodextrin (2), mono[6-O-(diethylamino-ethoxyphosphoryl)]-beta-cyclodextrin (3), and mono[6-O-(diphenoxyphosphoryl)]-beta-cyclodextrin (4) with representative alicyclic and N-Cbz-D/L-alanine guests in 0.1 M phosphate buffer solution at pH 7.2 by means of titration microcalorimetry. The thermodynamic parameters obtained indicate that the charge-dipole interaction between the phosphoryl moiety and the negatively charged guests, as well as the conformational difference of modified beta-cyclodextrins in aqueous solution, significantly contribute to the inclusion complexation and the enhanced chiral discrimination. The interactions and binding modes between the hosts and chiral guests were further studied by two-dimensional NMR spectroscopy to elucidate the influence of the structural features of hosts on their increased chiral recognition ability and to establish the correlation between the conformation of the resulting complexes and the thermodynamic parameters obtained.     

Enantioselective resolution of chiral aromatic acids by biphasic recognition chiral extraction

This paper reports a new chiral separation technology—biphasic recognition chiral extraction for the separation of aromatic acid enantiomers such as α-cyclohexyl-mandelic acid (CHMA) and naproxen (NAP). The biphasic recognition chiral extraction system was established by adding hydrophobic d(l)-isobutyl tartrate in 1,2-dichloroethane organic phase and hydrophilic β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) derivative in aqueous phase, which preferentially recognize the (R)-enantiomer and (S)-enantiomer, respectively. These studies involve an enantioselective extraction in a biphasic system, where aromatic acid enantiomers form complexes with the β-cyclodextrin derivative in the aqueous phase and d(l)-isobutyl tartrate in the organic phase, respectively. Factors affecting the extraction mechanism are analyzed, namely the influence of the concentrations of the extractants and aromatic acid enantiomers, the types of the extractants, pH, and temperature. The experimental results show that the biphasic recognition chiral extraction is of much stronger chiral separation ability than the monophasic recognition chiral extraction, which utilizes the cooperations of the forces of the tartrate and the β-CD derivative. Hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin (HP-β-CD), hydroxyethyl-β-cyclodextrin (HE-β-CD), and methyl-β-cyclodextrin (ME-β-CD) have stronger recognition abilities for the (S)-aromatic acid enantiomers than those for (R)-aromatic acid enantiomers, among which HP-β-CD has the strongest ability. d-Isobutyl tartrate preferentially recognizes (R)-CHMA and (S)-NAP, while l-isobutyl tartrate preferentially recognizes (S)-CHMA and (R)-NAP. The maximum enantioselectivities of CHMA and NAP are 2.49 and 1.65, under conditions at which the pH values of the aqueous phases are 2.7 and 2.5, at the ratio of 2:1 of [isobutyl tartrate] to [HP-β-CD].     

Extraordinary chiral discrimination in inclusion gas chromatography. thermodynamics of enantioselectivity between a racemic perfluorodiether and a modified gamma-cyclodextrin

The enantiomers of the perfluorodiether "compound B" [2-(fluoromethoxy)-3-methoxy-1,1,1,3,3-pentafluoropropane], a decomposition product of the inhalational anesthetic sevoflurane [2-(fluoromethoxy)-1,1,1,3,3,3-hexafluoropropane], were separated by gas chromatography on octakis(3-O-butanoyl-2,6-di-O-n-pentyl)-gamma-cyclodextrin (Lipodex E), dissolved in polysiloxane PS 255 (30% w/w), with an unexpectedly high separation factor of alpha = 10.6 at 26 degrees C. Using the concept of the retention increment R', non-enantioselective and enantioselective contributions to retention were separated and thus reliable thermodynamic parameters of enantioselectivity, i.e. - deltaS,R(deltaG) = 5.7 (0.05) kJ/mol at 303 K, - deltaS,R(deltaH) = 20.1 (0.64) kJ/mol, deltaS,R(deltaS) = -47.4 (2.0) J/K mol and T(isoenant) = 424 (30) K or approximately 150 degrees C, were determined by temperature-dependent measurements. The enantiomeric bias represents the largest values ever measured in enantioselective gas chromatography. An equation is presented which allows calculation of the non-enantioselective contributions to retention from measurements at two arbitrary concentrations of Lipodex E in polysiloxane. Surprisingly, the enantioselectivity is greatly reduced when employing the beta-cyclodextrin analogue and breaks down completely with the alpha-cyclodextrin analogue of Lipodex E.     

Separation of the mineral oil aromatic hydrocarbons of three and more aromatic rings from those of one or two aromatic rings

An analytical method was developed for the quantitation of the mineral oil aromatic hydrocarbons in cosmetic raw materials separating those of one or two aromatic rings from those of three and more aromatic rings. Normal phase high performance liquid chromatography was used with donor‐acceptor complex chromatography. The composition of both fractions and the quantities of respective compounds were determined by comprehensive two dimensional gas chromatography with time of flight mass spectrometry and by liquid chromatography coupled to gas chromatography with flame ionization detection.     

Chiral recognition properties of chiral 18-crown-6 ethers with aromatic substituents

The chiral recognition properties of chiral 18-crown-6 ethers with phenyl, 1-naphthoxymethyl, 1-naphthylmethyl, or 2,3,5,6-tetramethylphenylmethyl substituents for -phenylglycine methyl ester and 1-phenylethylamine perchlorate were investigated by a standard extraction procedure. The chiral recognition factor of 1-naphthoxymethyl substituted crown ether is 2.0 for the former salt but near 1.0 for the latter, whereas that of the other crown ethers is not so dependent on the structure of salts, which indicates the importance of the mutual relation of the structure of host and quest molecules.     

Complexation thermodynamics of free and graft oligomers with complementary polymers

The dilute solution complexation equilibrium between linear macromolecules and smaller complementary oligomers is considered when: (1) the oligomers are free in solution; and (2) the oligomers are covalently attached at one end to the polymer. A general statistical mechanical framework is developed and is illustrated using a simple random walk model for polymer conformation. The statistical mechanical partition functions are formulated using a generating function technique, allowing thermodynamic averages in the complexed state to be calculated. Loops, trains, and tails of all possible length are allowed in the conformation of a complexed oligomer. Simulation results for the free oligomer case are compared with those obtained for oligomers covalently attached to the polymeric molecular. The model provides a theoretical explanation for the experimentally observed enhancement of complexation of oligomers grafted to the complementary polymers.     

Construction of two 3D homochiral frameworks with 1D chiral pores via chiral recognition

The reactions of a pair of enantiomers of macrocyclic nickel(II) complexes with racemic penicillamine generated two 3D hydrogen-bonded homochiral frameworks of {[Ni(f-(SS)-L)](2)(l-pends)(ClO(4))(2)}(n) (Λ-1) and {[Ni(f-(RR)-L)](2)(d-pends) (ClO(4))(2)}(n) (Δ-1). The frameworks possess 1D tubular pores and opposite right/left-handed helical porous surfaces (L = 5,5,7,12,12,14-hexamethyl-1,4,8,11-tetraazacyclotetradecane; pends(2-) = penicillaminedisulfide anion).     

Synthesis of crownophanes possessing three pyridine rings

Novel crownophanes with three pyridine moieties (pyridinocrownophanes 4 and 5) were prepared by means of intramolecular [2+2] photocycloaddition of vinylpyridine derivatives. In the liquid-liquid extraction of heavy metal cations, 4 and 5 exhibited high efficiency toward Ag⁺. Comparing the high extractability and complexing stability constant for Ag⁺ to those of the corresponding pyridinocrownophanes 2 and 3 and observing the ¹H NMR spectra in the presence of Ag⁺, the ethereal oxygen atoms and the three nitrogen atoms were found efficiently and cooperatively to act as ligating sites.     

Complexation behavior of alpha-, beta-, and gamma-cyclodextrin in modulating and constructing polymer networks

A systematic study of the host-guest complexation by alpha-, beta-, and gamma-cyclodextrin (CD) in either the free state or as substituents of poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) with the hydrophobic n-octadecyl groups, C18, substituted onto PAA (HMPAA) and its effect on polymer aggregation and network formation is reported. Free alpha-CD, beta-CD, and gamma-CD mask hydrophobic associations between the C18 substituent of HMPAA in aqueous solution and form host-guest complexes with a 1:1 or CD:C18 substituent stoichiometry at 0.5 wt % polymer concentration. For alpha-CD this host-guest stoichiometry changes to 2:1 or 2alpha-CD:C18 at > or =1 wt % polymer concentrations but not for beta-CD and gamma-CD. Shear-thickening occurs when gamma-CD complexes C18 HMPAA substituents. Upon addition of sodium dodecyl sulfate, SDS (SDS:CD = 1:1), the hydrophobic associations between C18 diminished by alpha-CD masking were fully restored, were only partly restored in the case of beta-CD, and not restored for gamma-CD. When alpha- and beta-CD substituted PAA (alpha-CDPAA and beta-CDPAA) were mixed with HMPAA polymer, networks formed. As for free beta-CD, the beta-CD substituents of beta-CDPAA also formed 1:1 or beta-CD:C18 stoichiometry host-guest complexes with the C18 substituents of HMPAA. The alpha-CD substituents of alpha-CDPAA also formed 1:1 or alpha-CD:C18 stoichiometry host-guest complexes with some indication of the formation of 2:1 or 2alpha-CD:C18 stoichiometry host-guest complexes at polymer concentrations > or =1 wt %. The polymer networks formed by beta-CDPAA with HMPAA are less viscous than those formed by alpha-CDPAA, for which shear-thickening occurs at polymer concentrations > or =2 wt %. It is evident that the difference in CD annular size and its match with the C18 of HMPAA control the diversity of the interactions of alpha-CD, beta-CD, gamma-CD, alpha-CDPAA, and beta-CDPAA with HMPAA.     

手性芳酰胺类分子钳对氨基酸衍生物的对映选择性识别

在微波辐射条件下,以联苯二甲酸为间隔基,L-氨基酸甲酯为手臂,合成了3个新型芳酰胺手性分子钳。这些化合物的结构经1HNMR,IR,MS和元素分析确证。利用差紫外光谱滴定法考察了其与D/L氨基酸甲酯的对映选择性识别性能。结果表明,分子钳2a~2c对所考察的氨基酸甲酯均具有识别能力,其对D-氨基酸甲酯的识别优于对L-氨基酸甲酯的识别。从主客体间的大小形状匹配及几何互补关系等方面对这些受体的识别能力及对映选择性进行了讨论。     

Synthesis of ferrocenoporphyrinophanes stacked with metals and aromatic rings

Double and triple layered porphyrinophanes bridged with 1,1′- or 1,3-disubstituted ferrocene moieties and their iron complexes have been synthesized.     

Facile synthesis of ionic liquids possessing chiral carboxylates

The synthesis of 23 new chiral ionic liquids is achieved in high yield and purity by the reaction of an amino acid or a chiral carboxylic acid with tetrabutylammonium hydroxide in water.     

Oxaaza cyclophanes in the recognition of nucleotides. The role of oxygen and electron-rich aromatic rings

Dioxapolyaza cyclophanes derived from resorcinol and different polyamine chains have been studied in aqueous solution as abiotic receptors for nucleotides. The presence of the additional ethyleneoxy subunits is reflected in a higher basicity and in a significant increase in the log K values for the interaction with nucleotides relative to that of related polyazacyclophanes.