A new tripodal receptor for molecular recognition of monosaccharides. A paradigm for assessing glycoside binding affinities and selectivities by 1H NMR spectroscopy

A new tripodal receptor for the recognition of monosaccharides is described. The prototypical host 1 features a 1,3,5-substituted 2,4,6-triethylbenzene scaffold bearing three convergent H-bonding units. The binding ability of the t-octyl derivative 1a toward a set of octylglycosides of biologically relevant monosaccharides, including Glc, Gal, Man, and GlcNAc, was investigated by 1H NMR in CDCl3. A protocol for the correct evaluation of binding affinities was established, which can be generally applied for the recognition of monosaccharides by 1H NMR spectroscopy. A three-constant equilibrium model, including 1:1 and 2:1 host-guest association and dimerization of the receptor, was ascertained for the interaction of 1a with all the investigated glycosides. An affinity index, which we defined median binding concentration BC50 in analogy to the IC50 parameter, intended to address the general issue of comparing dimensionally heterogeneous binding data, and a limiting BC0(50)quantity describing intrinsic binding affinities were developed for evaluating the results. BC0(50) values for 1a range from 1 to 6 mM, indicating an intrinsic binding affinity in the millimolar range and a selectivity factor of 5 toward the investigated glycosides. The treatment has been extended to include any generic host-guest system involved in single or multiple binding equilibria.     

Selective recognition of alkyl pyranosides in protic and aprotic solvents

The design and synthesis of receptors capable of selective, noncovalent recognition of carbohydrates continues to be a signature challenge in bioorganic chemistry. We report a new generation of tripodal receptors incorporating three pyridine (compound 2) or quinoline (compound 3) rings around a central cyclohexane core for use in molecular recognition of monosaccharides in apolar and polar protic solvents. These tripodal receptors were investigated using (1)H NMR, UV, and fluorescence titrations in order to determine their binding abilities toward a set of octyl glycosides. Receptor 2 displayed the highest binding affinity reported to date for noncovalent 1:1 binding of an alpha-glucopyranoside in chloroform (Ka = 212,000 +/- 27,000 M(-1)) and an approximately 8-fold selectivity for the alpha anomer over the beta anomer of the glucopyranoside. Most importantly, 2 retained its micromolar range of affinities toward monosaccharides in a polar and highly competitive solvent (methanol). The quinoline variant 3 also displayed micromolar binding affinities for selected monosaccharides in methanol (as measured by fluorescence) that were generally smaller than those of 2. Compound 3 was found to follow a selectivity pattern similar to that of 2, displaying higher affinities for glucopyranosides than for other monosaccharides. The binding stoichiometry was estimated to be 1:1 for the complexes formed by both 2 and 3 with glucopyranosides, as determined by Job plots. Nuclear Overhauser effect spectroscopy allowed for the derivation of a binding model consistent with the observed selectivities.     

Porphyrin-functionalised rotaxanes for anion recognition

The synthesis and anion-recognition properties of two new porphyrin-functionalised [2]rotaxane host molecules are described. The rotaxane compounds are prepared via a chloride-anion-templated clipping strategy. (1)H NMR titration experiments demonstrate that the rotaxane host systems exhibit high binding affinities and general selectivities for chloride anions in DMSO-d(6) or CDCl(3)/CD(3)OD solvent systems. UV-visible and fluorescence spectroscopy experiments reveal that the rotaxane receptors are ineffective as optical anion sensors. However, both receptors are shown to be capable of detecting chloride anions electrochemically via cathodic shifts in the porphyrin P/P(+) redox couples.     

Fragmentations of isomeric sulfated monosaccharides using electrospray ion trap mass spectrometry

Electrospray ionization combined with ion trap mass spectrometry (ESI-ITMS) is a powerful tool for structural analysis of complex carbohydrates. Although its application to sulfated glycans has been limited so far, it should provide critical information, such as sulfate positions, on their structures. In this work, MS(n) spectra of nine monosulfated monosaccharides, consisting of five hexoses and four N-acetylhexosamines, were measured in negative ion mode to find basic fragmentation rules for sulfated sugars. Two pairs of positional isomers with respect to sulfation, i.e., Gal4S and Gal6S, and GalNAc4S and GalNAc6S, showed characteristic fragmentation patterns in MS(3), and could be discriminated from one another by the appearance of particular diagnostic fragment ions that characterize individual isomers. It was also demonstrated that, even if a mixture of these positional isomers was analyzed, the proportion of each species could be estimated through analysis of the abundance ratios of the diagnostic ions. However, 3-O-sulfated saccharides (Glc3S and GlcNAc3S) gave a single abundant diagnostic ion in MS(2) corresponding to the hydrogensulfate ion, [OSO(3)H](-), and this characteristic clearly differentiated them from their positional isomers. In contrast, 6-O-sulfated diastereomers consisting of two groups, Glc6S, Man6S, Gal6S, and GlcNAc6S, GalNAc6S, could not be discriminated by the types of fragment ions; however, the abundance ratios of particular fragment ions differed significantly between Glc(NAc)6S and Gal(NAc)6S. Since ESI-ITMS yielded large quantities of useful information on structures of monosulfated hexoses and N-acetylhexosamines in an extremely simple and reproducible manner, establishment of a comprehensive strategy based on ESI-ITMS(n) appears to be a promising technique for structural elucidation of sulfated complex carbohydrates.     

Efficient modulation of hydrogen-bonding interactions by remote substituents

[structure: see text] A series of tetralactam macrocycles having different substituents were prepared, and their binding affinities for an adipamide guest were investigated in CDCl3 by 1H NMR titrations. The association constants strongly depend on the substituents, varying up to DeltaDeltaG = 3.4 kcal/mol; electron-donating substituents (OMe, NMe2) decrease the binding affinity, while electron-withdrawing groups (Cl, NO2) increase it. These large substituent effects have been rationalized by secondary repulsions and partial perturbations of intramolecular hydrogen bonds.     

Dipyrrolyl-functionalized bipyridine-based anion receptors for emission-based selective detection of dihydrogen phosphate

New cationic anion receptors, based on the use of pyrrole-substituted bipyridine and coordinated to transition metals, are described. Specifically, polypyridine-ruthenium and -rhodium cores have been functionalized to generate an anion binding site. The design was chosen to probe the influence of the pyrrole-to-pyrrole separation on anion-binding affinities and selectivities; this distance is greater in the new systems of this report (receptors 1 and 2) relative to that present in related dipyrrolyl quinoxaline based receptors 3 and 4. Solution-phase anion-binding studies, carried out by means of (1)H NMR spectroscopic titrations in [D(6)]DMSO and isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) in DMSO, reveal that 1 and 2 bind most simple anions with substantially higher affinity than either 3 or 4. In the case of chloride anion, structural studies, carried out by means of single-crystal X-ray diffraction analyses, are consistent with the solution-phase results and reveal that receptors 1 and 2 are both able to stabilize complexes with this halide anion in the solid state.     

Synthesis and characterisation of novel glycoclusters based on cell penetrating heptakis(6-aminoethylamino-6-deoxy)-??-cyclodextrin

The modification of a polyamino ??CD, heptakis(6-aminoethylamino-6-deoxy)-??CD (bpen) with several monosaccharides (Man, GlcNAc, Gal, Glc), specific for bacterial lectin targeting is described. The first synthetic approach, based on disuccinimidyl carbonate-substituted monosaccharides had moderate success, whereas the second approach, based on thiopropanoic acid-linked monosaccharides, was more efficient. Each method gave the best result with a different monosaccharide. Given that bpen is known to penetrate cells, the new products are expected to possess both lectin recognition ability and membrane crossing properties.     

The relevance of carbohydrate hydrogen-bonding cooperativity effects: a cooperative 1,2-trans-diaxial diol and amido alcohol hydrogen-bonding array as an efficient carbohydrate-phosphate binding motif in nonpolar media

Carbohydrates with suitably positioned intramolecularly hydrogen-bonded hydroxyl and amide groups have the potential to act as efficient bidentate phosphate binders by taking advantage of sigma- and/or ,sigma,pi-H-bonding cooperativity in nonpolar solvents. Donor-donor 1,2-trans-diaxial amido alcohol (1) and diol (3), in which one of the donor centres is cooperative, are very efficient carbohydrate-phosphate binding motifs. We have proven and quantified the key role of hydrogen-bonding centres indirectly involved in complexation, which serve to generate an intramolecular H-bond (six-membered cis H-bond) in 1 and 3. This motif enhances the donor nature of the H-bonding centres that are directly involved in complexation. A comparison of the thermodynamic parameters of the complexes formed between phosphate and a cooperative (1-Phos) or anti-cooperative (2-Phos) bidentate H-bonded motif of a carbohydrate has allowed us to quantify the energetic advantage of H-bonding cooperativity in CDCl3 and CDCl3/CCl4 (1:1.3) (Delta Delta G degrees=-2.2 and -2.0 kcal mol(-1), respectively). The solvent dependences of the entropy and enthalpy contributions to binding provide a valuable example of the delicate balance between entropy and enthalpy that can arise for a single process, providing effective cooperative binding in terms of Delta G degrees.     

Synthetic receptors for the differentiation of phosphorylated peptides with nanomolar affinities

Artificial ditopic receptors for the differentiation of phosphorylated peptides varying in i+3 amino acid side chains were synthesized, and their binding affinities and selectivities were determined. The synthetic receptors show the highest binding affinities to phosphorylated peptides under physiological conditions (HEPES, pH 7.5, 154 mM NaCl) reported thus far for artificial systems. The tight and selective binding was achieved by high cooperativity of the two binding moieties in the receptor molecules. All receptors interact with phosphorylated serine by bis(ZnII-cyclen) complex coordination and a second binding site recognizing a carboxylate or imidazole amino acid side chain functionality.     

Dendroclefts: Optically Active Dendritic Receptors for the Selective Recognition and Chiroptical Sensing of Monosaccharide Guests

The enantiomerically pure dendritic receptors with cleft-type recognition sites (dendroclefts) of generation zero ((−)- G0 ), one ((−)- G1 ), and two ((−)- G2 ) (Fig. 1) were prepared for the complexation of monosaccharides via H-bonding. They incorporate a rigid, optically active 9,9′-spirobi[9H-fluorene] core bearing 2,6-bis(carbonylamino)pyridine moieties as H-bonding sites in the 2,2′-positions. The dendritic shells in (−)- G1 and (−)- G2 are made out of a novel type of dendritic wedges of the first ( 8 ; Scheme 2) and second ( 13 ; Scheme 3) generations, which contain only donor O-atoms and are attached to the H-bonding edges of the core via glycine spacers (Scheme 4). The formation of stable 1 : 1 complexes (association constants K_a between 100 and 600 M ⁻¹, T=298 K; Table 2) between the three receptors and pyranosides in CHCl₃ was confirmed by ¹H-NMR and CD binding titrations as well as by Job plot analyses. The degree of dendritic branching was found to exert a profound effect on the stereoselectivity of the recognition processes. The binding enantioselectivity decreases with increasing degree of branching, whereas the diastereoselectivity increases. The ¹H-NMR analysis showed that the N−H⋅⋅⋅O H-bonds between the amide NH groups around the core and the sugar O-atoms become weakened with increasing dendritic generation, presumably due to steric factors and competition from intramolecular H-bonding between these amide groups and the O-atoms of the dendritic shell. The chiroptical properties of the dendroclefts respond to guest binding in a stereoselective manner. Whereas large differential changes are seen in the circular dichroism (CD) spectra of (−)- G0 and (−)- G1 upon complexation of the enantiomeric monosaccharides (Figs. 3 and 4), the CD spectra of the higher-generation derivative (−)- G2 respond to a lesser extent to guest complexation (Fig. 5). This is indicative of a different binding geometry, more remote from the core chromophore. With their higher masses, the dendroclefts (−)- G1 and (−)- G2 are readily recycled from host-guest solutions by gel-permeation chromatography. The strong CD sensory response and the easy recyclability suggest applications of chiral dendroclefts as sensors for biologically important molecules.     

Synthesis of new trisulfonated calix[4]arenes functionalized at the upper rim, and their complexation with the trimethyllysine epigenetic mark

A synthetic route to produce a new family of trisulfonated calix[4]arenes bearing a single group, selectively introduced, that lines the binding pocket is reported. Ten examples, including new sulfonamide and biphenyl-substituted hosts, each with additional binding elements, demonstrate the tuning of guest affinities and selectivities. NMR titrations in phosphate-buffered water show that one of the new hosts binds to the modified amino acid trimethyllysine with the highest affinity and selectivity observed to date.     

Highly Effective Recognition of Carbohydrates by Phenanthroline‐Based Receptors: α‐ versus β‐Anomer Binding Preference

¹H NMR spectroscopic titrations in competitive and non‐competitive media, as well as binding studies in two‐phase systems, such as phase transfer of sugars from aqueous into organic solvents and dissolution of solid carbohydrates in apolar media revealed both highly effective recognition of neutral carbohydrates and interesting binding preferences of an acyclic phenanthroline‐based receptor 1 . Compared to the previously described acyclic receptors, compound 1 displays significantly higher binding affinities, the rare capability to extract sugars from water into non‐polar organic solutions and α‐ versus β‐anomer binding preference in the recognition of glycosides, which differs from those observed for other receptor systems. X‐ray crystallographic investigations revealed the presence of water molecules in the binding pocket of 1 that are engaged in the formation of hydrogen‐bonding motifs similar to those suggested by molecular modelling for the sugar OH groups in the receptor–sugar complexes. The molecular modelling calculations, synthesis, crystal structure and binding properties of 1 are described and compared with those of the previously described receptors.     

Synthetic tripodal receptors for carbohydrates. Pyrrole, a hydrogen bonding partner for saccharidic hydroxyls

The carbohydrate recognition properties of synthetic tripodal receptors relying on H-bonding interactions have highlighted the crucial role played by the functional groups matching saccharidic hydroxyls. Herein, pyrrole and pyridine, which emerged as two of the most effective H-bonding groups, were quantitatively compared through their isostructural substitution within the architecture of a shape-persistent bicyclic cage receptor. NMR and ITC binding studies gave for the pyrrolic receptor a 20-fold larger affinity toward octyl-β-d-glucopyranoside in CDCl(3), demonstrating the superior recognition properties of pyrrole under conditions in which differences would depend on the intrinsic binding ability of the two groups. The three-dimensional structures of the two glucoside complexes in solution were elucidated by combined NMR and molecular mechanics computational techniques, showing that the origin of the stability difference between the two closely similar complex structures resides in the ability of pyrrole to establish shorter/stronger H-bonds with the glucosidic ligand compared to pyridine.     

Novel ion-pair receptors based on hexahomotrioxacalix[3]arene derivatives

A series of novel heteroditopic hexahomotrioxacalix[3]arene triamide receptors capable of binding an anion and cation simultaneously in a cooperative fashion has been prepared. The lower rim functionalized cone-hexahomotrioxacalix[3]arene derivatives cone-5a-5d bearing three amide groups were synthesized from cone-3 by a stepwise reaction. The crystal structures of 5c and 5d and (1)H NMR studies in nonpolar solvents strongly indicate that a number of interesting intramolecular hydrogen bonding interactions exist in these receptors. The binding abilities of these compounds towards n-butylammonium chloride and bromide salts have been investigated using (1)H NMR titration experiments in CDCl(3) solvent. Owing to the 'flattened cone' conformations and intramolecular hydrogen bonding involving the amide NH and neighbouring O atoms in cone-5a-5d, the affinities toward n-Bu(4)NX (X = Cl(-) and Br(-)) were weakened. However, it should be noted that triamides cone-5a-5d show a single selectivity for halide anions in the presence of n-BuNH(3)(+) through intermolecular hydrogen bonding with the amide NH hydrogen atoms in the receptors in CDCl(3) solution. Association constants were calculated from the chemical shift changes of the amide protons.     

Bile acid-derived molecular tweezers: study of solvent effects in binding, and determination of thermodynamic parameters by an extraction-based protocol

A family of bile acid-based molecular tweezers (1-3) were synthesized, and their binding affinities with picric acid in different solvents were evaluated using a simple extraction-based protocol. The binding affinities increased in nonpolar solvents. The size of the solvent molecule did not affect the binding constant. Thermodynamic parameters for the binding of picric acid in CCl(4) were also determined by this method. Binding constants of these tweezers with trinitrofluorenone in CDCl(3) were determined by NMR titration.     

Tuning selectivity in macrotricyclic carbohydrate receptors; CH-->N mutations in aromatic spacers

Dipicolinoyl spacer groups are used to control the conformational and H-bonding properties of tricyclic carbohydrate receptors 3 and 4. Binding selectivities are changed in relation to all-isophthaloyl system 1b.     

Energetics of phosphate binding to ammonium and guanidinium containing metallo-receptors in water

The design and synthesis of receptors containing a Cu(II) binding site with appended ammonium groups (1) and guanidinium groups (2), along with thermodynamics analyses of anion binding, are reported. Both receptors 1 and 2 show high affinities (10(4) M(-1)) and selectivities for phosphate over other anions in 98:2 water:methanol at biological pH. The binding of the host-guest pairs is proposed to proceed through ion-pairing interactions between the charged functional groups on both the host and the guest. The affinities and selectivities for oxyanions were determined using UV/vis titration techniques. Additionally, thermodynamic investigations indicate that the 1:phosphate complex is primarily entropy driven, while the 2:phosphate complex displays both favorable enthalpy and entropy changes. The thermodynamic data for binding provide a picture of the roles of the host, guest, counterions, and solvent. The difference in the entropy and enthalpy driving forces for the ammonium and guanidinium containing hosts are postulated to derive primarily from differences in the solvation shell of these two groups.