Design of Peptidic Foldamer Helices: A Stereochemical Patterning Approach

Assembly language : The programmed sequences of stereochemical building blocks lead to novel biomimetic helices. The rational design approach offers new possibilities for creating periodic secondary structures.

     

Design, synthesis and structural investigations of a beta-peptide forming a 314-helix stabilized by electrostatic interactions

Two different strategies have been employed for the synthesis of Fmoc-protected beta(3)-homoarginine; the Arndt-Eistert homologation of alpha-arginine and the guanidinylation of beta(3)-homoornithine. Solid-phase beta-peptide synthesis was used for the preparation of beta-heptapeptide 1, which was designed to form a helix stabilized by electrostatic interactions through positively (beta(3)hArg) and negatively charged (beta(3)hGlu) amino acid residues. CD measurements and corresponding NMR investigations in MeOH and aqueous solutions do indeed show that the beta-peptidic 3(14)-helix can be stabilized by salt-bridge formation.     

Solvent polarity controls the helical conformation of short peptides rich in Calpha-tetrasubstituted amino acids

The two peptides, rich in C(alpha)-tetrasubstituted amino acids, Ac-[Aib-L-(alphaMe)Val-Aib](2)-L-His-NH(2) (1) and Ac-[Aib-L-(alphaMe)Val-Aib](2)-O-tBu (2 a) are prevalently helical. They present the unique property of changing their conformation from the alpha- to the 3(10)-helix as a function of the polarity of the solvent: alpha in more polar solvents, 3(10) in less polar ones. Conclusive evidence of this reversible change of conformation is reported on the basis of the circular dichroism (CD) spectra and a detailed two-dimensional NMR analysis in two solvents (trifluoroethanol and methanol) refined with molecular dynamics calculations. The X-ray diffractometric analysis of the crystals of both peptides reveals that they assume a prevalent 3(10)-helix conformation in the solid state. This conformation is practically superimposable on that obtained from the NMR analysis of 1 in methanol. The NMR results further validate the reported CD signature of the 3(10)-helix and the use of the CD technique for its assessment.     

Structure of the alpha-homo-DNA:RNA duplex and the function of twist and slide to catalogue nucleic acid duplexes

High-resolution NMR studies of an alpha-homo-DNA:RNA duplex reveal the formation of a right-handed parallel-oriented helix. It differs significantly from a standard A- or B-type helix by a small twist value (26.2 degrees ), which leads to a helical pitch of 13.7 base pairs per helical turn, a negative inclination (-1.78 Angstrom) and a large x displacement (5.90 Angstrom). The rise (3.4 Angstrom) is similar to that found in B-DNA. The solution of this new helix structure has stimulated us to develop a mathematical and geometrical model based on slide and twist parameters to describe nucleic acid duplexes. All existing duplexes can be positioned within this landscape, which can be used to understand the helicalization process.     

Folding control in cyclic peptides through N-methylation pattern selection: formation of antiparallel beta-sheet dimers, double reverse turns and supramolecular helices by 3alpha,gamma cyclic peptides

Peptide foldamers constitute a growing class of nanomaterials with potential applications in a wide variety of chemical, medical and technological fields. Here we describe the preparation and structural characteristics of a new class of cyclic peptide foldamers (3alpha,gamma-CPs) that, depending on their backbone N-methylation patterns and the medium, can either remain as flat rings that dimerize through arrays of hydrogen bonds of antiparallel beta-sheet type, or can fold into twisted double reverse turns that, in the case of double gamma-turns, associate in nonpolar solvents to form helical supramolecular structures. A 3alpha,gamma-CP consists of a number of multiples of a repeat unit made up of four amino acid residues of alternating chirality: three corresponding to alpha-amino acids and one to a gamma-amino acid (a cis-3-aminocycloalkanecarboxylic acid).     

The first catalytic highly enantioselective alkylation of ketimines--a novel approach to optically active quaternary alpha-amino acids

A series of novel ketimines with intrinsic protecting group anchoring was synthesized and allowed to react with various silylketene acetals in the presence of 5-10 mol % of a chiral Zn(OTf)(2)-(R,R)-Ph-pybox-aqua complex. The corresponding optically active quaternary alpha-amino acid derivatives were obtained in high yields and with enantioselectivities ranging from 34 % up to 95 % ee. The catalyst was studied by (1)H NMR spectroscopy and X-ray crystallography, and a dynamic equilibrium of two species was identified in solution. These are a homo-chiral 1:2 metal-ligand complex and a 1:1 metal-ligand complex, of which the latter is expected to be the actual catalyst of the diastereo- and enantioselective reaction. A strong positive nonlinear effect was observed due to the formation of a catalytically inactive 1:2 metal-ligand hetero-chiral complex. On the basis of DFT calculations and the absolute stereochemistry of the products, simultaneous coordination of the imino electrophile and a single molecule of H(2)O to the chiral Lewis acid complex is proposed. Coordination of the imine-nitrogen atom in the axial position of an octahedral complex can account for the facial selectivity as well as the diastereoselectivity observed.