Amino acid conjugates of 1,1'-diaminoferrocene. Synthesis and chiral organization

1,1'-bis(tert-butoxycarbonylamino)ferrocene (6), a protected derivative of 1,1'-diaminoferrocene, has been synthesized by a very convenient method and serves as a synthon for 1,1'-diaminoferrocene. Its structure in solid state and in solution has been studied by NMR and X-ray crystallography. 1,1'-bis(tert-butoxycarbonylamino)ferrocene serves as starting material for the synthesis of amino acid conjugates of L- and D-alanine. The structures of these bioconjugates have been studied by NMR and CD spectroscopy and X-ray crystallography and reveal that the chiral organization of the podant amino acid chains is controlled by the chirality of the attached amino acid. The substituents engage in strong intramolecular H-bonding generating 14-membered H-bonded rings, a motif previously unrealized in ferrocene-amino acid and peptide conjugates.     

Systematizing structural motifs and nomenclature in 1,n'-disubstituted ferrocene peptides

Ferrocene peptide conjugates display an array of structural features including helical ferrocene based chirality and a number of different intramolecular hydrogen bonding patterns. In this tutorial review we present a rigorous nomenclature for these systems, followed by a section that summarises and categorises the structures known to date. The issues discussed herein are of general relevance for all metallocene-based chiral transition metal catalysts and peptide turn mimetics.     

Dipeptide-induced chirality organization

This review describes an outline of dipeptide-induced chirality organization by using molecular scaffolds. A variety of ferrocene-dipeptide conjugates as bioorganometallics are designed to induce chirality-organized structures of peptides. The ferrocene serves as a reliable organometallic scaffold with a central reverse-turn unit for the construction of protein secondary structures via intramolecular hydrogen bondings, wherein the attached dipeptide strands are constrained within the appropriate dimensions. Another interesting feature of ferrocene-dipeptide conjugates is their strong tendency to self-assemble through contribution of available hydrogen bonding sites for helical architectures in solid states. Symmetrical introduction of two dipeptide chains into a urea molecular scaffold is performed to induce the formation of the chiral hydrogen-bonded duplex, wherein each hydrogen-bonded duplex is connected by continuous intermolecular hydrogen bonds to form a double helix-like arrangement.     

Amino Acid Chirality and Ferrocene Conformation Guided Self‐Assembly and Gelation of Ferrocene–Peptide Conjugates

The self‐assembly and gelation behavior of a series of mono‐ and disubstituted ferrocene (Fc)–peptide conjugates as a function of ferrocene conformation and amino acid chirality are described. The results reveal that ferrocene–peptide conjugates self‐assemble into organogels by controlling the conformation of the central ferrocene core, through inter‐ versus intramolecular hydrogen bonding in the attached peptide chain(s). The chirality controlled assembling studies showed that two monosubstituted Fc conjugates FcCO–L FL FL A‐OMe and FcCO–L FL FD A‐OMe form gels with nanofibrillar network structures, whereas the other two diastereomers FcCO–D FL FL A‐OMe and FcCO–L FD FL A‐OMe exclusively produced straight nanorods and non‐interconnected small fibers, respectively. This suggests the potential tuning of gelation behavior and nanoscale morphology by altering the chirality of constituted amino acids. The current study confirms the profound effect of diastereomerism and no influence of enantiomers on gelation. Correspondingly, the diastereomeric and enantiomeric Fc[CO‐FFA‐OMe]₂ were constructed for the study of chirality‐organized structures.     

The serine-proline turn: a novel hydrogen-bonded template for designing peptidomimetics

Serine-Proline (SP) dipeptide motifs have been shown to form unique hydrogen-bonding patterns in protein crystal structures. Peptides were designed to mimic these patterns by forming the 6 + 10 and the 9 + 10 hydrogen-bonded rings. Factors that contribute to the formation of SP turns include controlling backbone flexibility and amino acid chirality along with creating a hydrophobic environment around the intramolecular hydrogen bonds.     

核磁共振研究二茂铁硒铂配合物构象交换热焓

The intramolecular conformational exchange thermodynamics of cis-PtCl[1,1'bis(undecenylseleno)ferrocene](B11SeFcPt) in CDCl3 solution was studied by one dimensional proton NMR． The chemical equilibrium constants were obtained directly from the integration of the 1H NMR spectra and the enthalpy as a function of temperature for the conformational exchange of B11SeFcPt was calculated from the equilibrium constant.     

Redox regulation of helical structures in short peptides with an intramolecular ferrocenyl cross-linking agent

We redox-regulated alpha-helicity of short peptides intramolecularly cross-linked with a ferrocenyl linker between amino acid side chains. The helical content of the cross-linked peptide was estimated to be 56% in the neutral state of the ferrocene core at 25 degrees C. The addition of an oxidant to the solution of the cross-linked peptide enhanced the helicity up to 75%. The increased helical content returned to the same level as that in the previous ferrocene state by further addition of a reductant.     

Ambidextrous α,γ‐Hybrid Peptide Foldamers

Molecular chirality is ubiquitous in nature. The natural biopolymers, proteins and DNA, preferred a right‐handed helical bias due to the inherent stereochemistry of the monomer building blocks. Here, we are reporting a rare co‐existence of left‐ and right‐handed helical conformations and helix‐terminating property at the C‐terminus within a single molecule of α,γ‐hybrid peptide foldamers composed of achiral Aib (α‐aminoisobutyric acid) and 3,3‐dimethyl‐substituted γ‐amino acid (Adb; 4‐amino‐3,3‐dimethylbutanoic acid). At the molecular level, the left‐ and right‐handed helical screw sense of α,γ‐hybrid peptides are representing a macroscopic tendril perversion. The pronounced helix‐terminating behaviour of C‐terminal Adb residues was further explored to design helix–Schellman loop mimetics and to study their conformations in solution and single crystals. The stereochemical constraints of dialkyl substitutions on γ‐amino acids showed a marked impact on the folding behaviour of α,γ‐hybrid peptides.     

Central (S) to Central (M=Ir,Rh) to Planar (Metallocene,M=Fe,Ru) Chirality Transfer Using Sulfoxide-Substituted Mesoionic Carbene Ligands: Synthesis of Bimetallic Planar Chiral Metallocenes

Enantiopure bimetallic systems containing three different elements of chirality, namely a main-group-based chiral center (sulfur), a transition-metal chiral center (rhodium or iridium), and a planar chiral element (ferrocene or ruthenocene), have been prepared by a sequence of diastereoselective reactions. The chirality of the chiral sulfur center attached to C-5 of a 1,2,3-triazolylidene mesoionic carbene (MIC) ligand coordinated to a metal (Ir, Rh) was transferred through the formation of bimetallic complexes having a chiral-at-metal center and a planar chiral metallocene by C−H activation of the sandwich moiety (M=Fe, Ru). The sense of the planar chirality formed in this sequence of reactions depended on the nature of the ligands at the metal center of the starting complex. The configurations of these species were assigned on the basis of a combination of X-ray diffraction and CD measurements. An electrochemical study of these bimetallic complexes in coordinating solvents showed an equilibrium between the cationic complexes and the neutral species. The effect of the half-sandwich moiety on the oxidation potentials of the system is remarkable, producing notable cathodic displacements. DFT calculations support these findings.     

Intramolecular Excited State Electronic Coupling Along an alpha-Helical Peptide

Several families of peptides composed of alternating L-alanine (Ala) and alpha-aminoisobutyric acid (Aib) residues with an appended N,N-dimethylanilino and/or 2-naphthalenyl group exist in MeOH and CDCl(3) as alpha-helices. Steady state and time-resolved fluorescence measurements show that the distance and dihedral angle between the appended donor and acceptor and the alignment of the vectors for intramolecular charge transfer interaction (from donor to acceptor) with or against that of the helical dipole moment significantly influence the efficiency of photoinduced electronic coupling and, hence, of intramolecular fluorescence quenching.     

Conformational studies of peptides containing cis-3-hydroxy-D-proline

Conformational analysis of peptides containing cis-3-hydroxy-d-proline (d-cis-3-Hyp) by NMR studies revealed that the 3-hydroxyl group in this amino acid plays a significant role in the overall three-dimensional structures of the peptides. When the d-cis-3-Hyp had its 3-hydroxyl group protected as the benzyl (Bn) ether, the peptide displayed a beta-hairpin structure in both CDCl(3) and DMSO-d(6). Even after the removal of the Bn group, the resulting deprotected compound retained the same structure as in the protected version in CDCl(3). However, in polar solvent DMSO-d(6), the C-terminal strand of the hydroxyl-deprotected peptide flipped to the side of the hydroxyl group, breaking the hairpin to form a pseudo beta-turn-like nine-membered ring structure involving an intramolecular hydrogen bond between LeuNH --> HypC3-OH.     

Chirality organization of ferrocenes bearing podand dipeptide chains: synthesis and structural characterization

A variety of ferrocenes bearing podand dipeptide chains have been synthesized to form an ordered structure in both solid and solution states and have been investigated by 1H NMR, FT-IR, CD, and X-ray crystallographic analyses. Conformational enantiomerization through chirality organization was achieved by the intramolecular hydrogen bondings between the podand dipeptide chains. The single-crystal X-ray structure determination of the ferrocene 2 bearing the podand dipeptide chains (-D-Ala-D-Pro-OEt) revealed two C2-symmetric intramolecular hydrogen bondings between CO (Ala) and NH (another Ala) of each podand dipeptide chain to induce the chirality-organized structure. The molecular structures of the ferrocene 1 composed of the podand L-dipeptide chains (-L-Ala-L-Pro-OEt) and 2 are in a good mirror image relationship, indicating that they are conformational enantiomers. An opposite helically ordered molecular arrangement was formed in the crystal packing of 2 as compared with 1. The ferrocene 2 exhibited induced circular dichroism (CD), which appeared at the absorbance of the ferrocene moiety. The mirror image of the CD signals between 1 and 2 was observed, suggesting that the chirality-organized structure via intramolecular hydrogen bondings is present even in solution. The ferrocene 4 bearing the podand dipeptide chains (-Gly-L-Leu-OEt) also showed an ordered structure in the crystal based on two intramolecular hydrogen bondings between CO (Gly) and NH (another Gly) of each podand dipeptide chain, together with intermolecular hydrogen bondings between CO adjacent to the ferrocene unit and NH (neighboring Leu) to create the highly organized self-assembly. A different self-assembly was observed in the crystal of the ferrocene 5 composed of the podand dipeptide chains (-Gly-L-Phe-OEt), wherein each molecule is bonded to two neighboring molecules through two pairs of symmetrical intermolecular hydrogen bonds to form a 14-membered intermolecularly hydrogen-bonded ring. These ordered structures based on the intramolecular hydrogen bondings in the solution state are also confirmed by 1H NMR and FT-IR.     

11/9-mixed helices in the alpha/beta-peptides derived from alternating alpha- and beta-amino acids with proteinogenic side chains

alpha/beta-Hybrid peptides are prepared from amino acids with proteinogenic side chains on the basis of the concept of "alternating chirality", involving D-Phe and a beta3-hVal. Through the extensive NMR, CD, and MD studies, robust left-handed 11/9-mixed helices were identified in these peptides in CDCl3 solutions, wherein the 11/9-mixed helix was observed even in a small peptide with three residues.     

Highly efficient recognition of native TpT by artificial ditopic hydrogen-bonding receptors possessing a conformationally well-defined linkage

Synthesis and binding affinity of rationally designed artificial ditopic nucleobase receptors are reported. The ditopic receptors were designed to recognize thymine-thymine dinucleotides by their two hydrogen-bonding moieties, which are connected to conformationally well-defined linkages such as ferrocene and biphenylene. The ditopic receptors exhibited a remarkably strong binding affinity for lipophilic TpT analogue in CDCl(3)/DMSO-d(6) (85:15, v/v). The binding affinity of the ditopic receptors for the dinucleotide was so high that even native TpT was extracted by them into CDCl(3). Detailed comparisons for the recognition abilities of the ditopic receptors were also conducted.     

New Helical Folds in α‐Peptides with Alternating Chirality

In α‐peptides, the 8/10 helix is theoretically predicted to be energetically unstable and has not been experimentally observed so far. Based on our earlier studies on ‘helical induction’ and ‘hybrid helices’, we have adopted the ‘end‐capping’ strategy to induce the 8/10 helix in α‐peptides by using short α/β‐peptides. Thus, α‐peptides containing a regular string of α‐amino acids with alternating chirality were end capped by α/β‐peptides with 11/9‐helical motifs at the termini. Extensive NMR spectroscopy studies of these peptides revealed the presence of a hitherto unknown 8/10‐helical pattern; the H‐bonds in the shorter pseudorings were rather weak. The approach of using short helical motifs to induce new mixed helices in α‐peptides could provide avenues for more versatile design strategies.     

The first oligopeptide derivative of 1'-aminoferrocene-1-carboxylic acid shows helical chirality with antiparallel strands

The unnatural organometallic amino acid 1'-aminoferrocene-1-carboxylic acid (Fca) induces a turn structure in a tetrapeptide with anti-parallel strands which is stabilized by two intra-molecular hydrogen bonds in the solid state and in solution.     

Estimation on the intramolecular 10-membered ring N-H...O=C hydrogen-bonding energies in glycine and alanine peptides

Computation of accurate intramolecular hydrogen-bonding energies for peptides is of great importance in understanding the conformational stabilities of peptides and developing a more accurate force field for proteins. We have proposed a method to determine the intramolecular seven-membered ring N-H...O=C hydrogen-bonding energies in glycine and alanine peptides. In this article, the method is further applied to evaluate the intramolecular 10-membered ring N-H...O=C hydrogen-bonding energies in peptides. The optimal structures of the intramolecular 10-membered ring N-H...O=C hydrogen bonds in glycine and alanine tripetide molecules are obtained at the MP2 level with 6-31G(d), 6-31G(d,p), and 6-31+G(d,p) basis sets. The intramolecular 10-membered ring N-H...O=C hydrogen-bonding energies are then evaluated based on our method at the MP2/6-311++G(3df,2p) level with basis set superposition error correction. The intramolecular 10-membered ring N-H...O=C hydrogen-bonding energies are calculated to be in the range of -6.84 to -7.66, -4.44 to -4.98, and -6.95 to -7.88 kcal/mol. The method is also applied to estimate the individual intermolecular hydrogen-bonding energies in the dimers of amino-acetaldehyde, 2-amino-acetamide, formamide, and oxalamide, each dimer having two identical intermolecular hydrogen bonds. According to our method, the individual intermolecular hydrogen-bonding energies in the four dimers are calculated to be -1.77, -1.67, -6.35, and -4.82 kcal/mol at the MP2/6-311++G(d,p) level, which are in good agreement with the values of -1.84, -1.72, -6.23, and -4.93 kcal/mol predicted by the supermolecular method.     

Control of chirality-organized structures of ferrocene-dipeptide bioconjugates

A variety of ferrocene-dipeptide bioconjugates have been designed to induce chirality-organized structures in both solid and solution states. The ferrocene serves as a reliable organometallic scaffold for the construction of protein secondary structures via intramolecular hydrogen bonding, here the attached dipeptide strands are regulated within the appropriate dimensions. The configuration and sequence of the amino acids play an important role in the construction of the chirality-organized bio-inspired systems under controlled hydrogen bonding.     

An approach to helical tubular self-aggregation using C2-symmetric self-complementary hydrogen-bonding cavity molecules

In an approach to helical self-aggregation, C2-symmetric cavity compounds based on the fusion of the bicyclo[3.3.1]nonane and indole framework and incorporating two 2-pyridone hydrogen-bonding motifs, compounds (-)-4 (pyrrole N-butyl) and (-)-5 (pyrrole N-decyl), have been synthesized. The 2-pyridone AD-DA hydrogen-bonding motif failed to operate in the solid state as demonstrated by X-ray diffraction analysis of (-)-4. Instead, the hydrogen-bonded (D-A) chains ...O=C-N-H...O=C-N-H...O=C-N-H..., interconnecting columnar stacks, comprise helices of the right-handed (P) chirality motif. In solution, the aggregation of (-)-5 was studied by NMR, electronic, and CD spectroscopies, and VPO measurements. These investigations strongly suggest that (-)-5 associates to oligomers in CHCl3 and CH2Cl2 using the 2-pyridone motif, fitting the equal K model, and that pi-stacking can be ruled out as a mode of aggregation. We conclude that the so formed aggregates of (-)-5 have a helical structure, based on the fact that only helical tubular structures can result when enantiomerically pure 5 uses its 2-pyridone AD-DA hydrogen-bonding motifs for aggregation.     

Photooxidation of some metallocenes in a polymer matrix

The changes in the electronic absorption spectra (UV-Vis) of some metallocene-doped poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) thin films containing chloroform molecules as impurities were studied after photoexcitation in the nitrogen atmosphere. Photoexcitations were made by monochromatic radiation (using a Xe-lamp source and a monochromator) at an interval of few nanometers in the spectral range 210-750 nm. The changes in spectra were studied as a function of photoexcitation time (duration), amount of metallocene in the film and the amount of chloroform molecules present in the film. Occurrence of photoinduced charge-transfer between some metallocenes and chloroform molecules confined in the PMMA thin films was observed, which indicated photooxidation of the metallocenes in the polymer matrix. Photoresponse in the case of ferrocene derivatives was observed to decrease with the increase in the value of para- Hammett constant for the substituent attached to the ferrocene unit and also with increasing half-wave potential for the ferrocene derivatives. Photoeffects on the metallocenes having different central metal atom were studied and it was noticed that the photoeffects on the metallocenes with "18 valence electrons", as in ferrocene and ruthenocene, favored the occurrence of photoinduced charge-transfer between the metallocene and chloroform molecules present in a PMMA film. The photooxidation of a metallocene in a PMMA thin film resulted in an enhanced photoconductivity of the polymeric film.