Thermodynamics of Hydrophobic Interactions: Entropic Recognition of a Hydrophobic Moiety by Poly(Ethylene Oxide)–Zinc Porphyrin Conjugates

The recognition of 4‐alkylpyridines by water‐soluble poly(ethylene oxide)–zinc porphyrin conjugates was studied with a focus on the thermodynamic parameters of binding. Microcalorimetric studies indicated that binding of the alkyl group of the guest in water is driven by the entropic term (δΔH⁰=ΔH⁰(4‐pentylpyridine)? ΔH⁰(4‐methylpyridine)=+1.7 kJ mol^?1, δTΔS⁰=TΔS⁰(4‐pentylpyridine)? TΔS⁰(4‐methylpyridine)=+11.8 kJ mol^?1 at 298 K), thus showing the significance of water reorganization during host–guest interaction. The enthalpy–entropy compensation temperature of binding of 4‐alkylpyridines was as low as 38 K; only below this temperature could the enthalpic term be a driving force. The binding affinity was modulated by the addition of cations and by varying the degree of polymerization of poly(ethylene oxide), which suggests that guest binding is coupled with polymer conformation.     

Cooperative Binding of Divalent Diamides by N‐Alkyl Ammonium Resorcinarene Chlorides

N‐Alkyl ammonium resorcinarene chlorides, stabilized by an intricate array of hydrogen bonds leading to a cavitand‐like structure, bind amides. The molecular recognition occurs through intermolecular hydrogen bonds between the carbonyl oxygen and the amide hydrogen of the guests and the cation–anion circular hydrogen‐bonded seam of the hosts, as well as through CH ??? π interactions. The N‐alkyl ammonium resorcinarene chlorides cooperatively bind a series of di‐acetamides of varying spacer lengths ranging from three to seven carbons. Titration data fit either a 1:1 or 2:1 binding isotherm depending on the spacer lengths. Considering all the guests possess similar binding motifs, the first binding constants were similar (K₁: 10² M ^?1) for each host. The second binding constant was found to depend on the upper rim substituent of the host and the spacer length of the guests, with the optimum binding observed with the six‐carbon spacer (K₂: 10³ M ^?2). Short spacer lengths increase steric hindrance, whereas longer spacer lengths increase flexibility thus reducing cooperativity. The host with the rigid cyclohexyl upper rim showed stronger binding than the host with flexible benzyl arms. The cooperative binding of these divalent guests was studied in solution through ¹H NMR titration studies and supplemented by diffusion‐ordered spectroscopy (DOSY), X‐ray crystallography, and mass spectrometry.     

Tri- and tetraurea piperazine cyclophanes: synthesis and complexation studies of preorganized and folded receptor molecules

A series of symmetrical tri‐ and tetrameric N‐ethyl‐ and N‐phenylurea‐functionalized cyclophanes have been prepared in nearly quantitative yields (86–99 %) from the corresponding tri‐ and tetraamino‐functionalized piperazine cyclophanes and ethyl or phenyl isocyanates. Their conformational and complexation properties have been studied by single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction, variable‐temperature NMR spectroscopy, and ESI‐MS analysis. The rigid 27‐membered trimeric cyclophane skeleton assisted by a seam of intramolecular hydrogen bonds results in a preorganized ditopic recognition site with an all‐syn conformation of the urea moieties that, complemented by a lipophilic cavity of the cyclophane, binds molecular and ionic guests as well as ion pairs. The all‐syn conformation persists in acidic conditions and the triprotonated triurea cyclophane binds an unprecedented anion pair, H₂PO₄^????HPO₄^2?, in the solid state. The tetra‐N‐ethylurea cyclophane is less rigid and demonstrates an induced‐fit recognition of diisopropyl ether in the solid state. The guest was encapsulated within the lipophilic interior of a quasicapsule, formed by intramolecular hydrogen‐bond‐driven folding of the 36‐membered cyclophane skeleton. In the gas phase, the essential role of the urea moieties in the binding was demonstrated by the formation of monomeric 1:1 complexes with K⁺, TMA⁺, and TMP⁺ as well as the ion‐pair complexes [KI+K]⁺, [TMABr+TMA]⁺ and [TMPBr+TMP]⁺. In the positive‐mode ESI‐MS analysis, ion‐pair binding was found to be more pronounced with the larger tetraurea cyclophanes. In the negative mode, owing to the large size of the binding site, a general binding preference towards larger anions, such as the iodide, over smaller anions, such as the fluoride, was observed.     

Substrate‐induced formation of a recognition structure in a four‐polypeptide–lipid monolayer system

Poly(γ‐methyl L ‐glutamate)s with Ser, His, Asp, and Glu residues at the amino terminal as the serine protease catalytic site were prepared. The number‐average degree of polymerization of the polypeptides was 51. A dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine monolayer containing the polypeptides was formed at the air–water interface and was transferred onto gold‐deposited glass plates. The binding of N‐acetyltyrosine ethyl ester, a typical substrate of the serine protease, to the monolayer was characterized by surface plasmon resonance measurements. The four‐polypeptide–lipid monolayer system conditioned on an aqueous solution containing the substrate N‐acetyltyrosine ethyl ester exhibited Langmuir‐type binding of the substrate. Its binding constant of 6.1 × 10⁴ M⁻¹ was about 20 times larger than that observed for a monolayer prepared on pure water. The behavior may have arisen from a substrate‐induced rearrangement of the four kinds of polypeptides in the monolayer, forming a substrate‐binding structure similar to that found in serine protease. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 38: 2186–2191, 2000     

Structure‐Based Design of Platinum(II) Complexes as c‐myc Oncogene Down‐Regulators and Luminescent Probes for G‐Quadruplex DNA

A series of platinum(II) complexes with tridentate ligands was synthesized and their interactions with G‐quadruplex DNA within the c‐myc gene promoter were evaluated. Complex 1 , which has a flat planar 2,6‐bis(benzimidazol‐2‐yl)pyridine (bzimpy) scaffold, was found to stabilize the c‐myc G‐quadruplex structure in a cell‐free system. An in silico G‐quadruplex DNA model has been constructed for structure‐based virtual screening to develop new Pt^II‐based complexes with superior inhibitory activities. By using complex 1 as the initial structure for hit‐to‐lead optimization, bzimpy and related 2,6‐bis(pyrazol‐3‐yl)pyridine (dPzPy) scaffolds containing amine side‐chains emerge as the top candidates. Six of the top‐scoring complexes were synthesized and their interactions with c‐myc G‐quadruplex DNA have been investigated. The results revealed that all of the complexes have the ability to stabilize the c‐myc G‐quadruplex. Complex 3 a ([Pt^II L2R ] ⁺ ; L2 =2,6‐bis[1‐(3‐piperidinepropyl)‐1H‐enzo[d]imidazol‐2‐yl]pyridine, R =Cl) displayed the strongest inhibition in a cell‐free system (IC₅₀=2.2 μM ) and was 3.3‐fold more potent than that of 1 . Complexes 3 a and 4 a ([Pt^II L3R ]⁺; L3 =2,6‐bis[1‐(3‐morpholinopropyl)‐1H‐pyrazol‐3‐yl]pyridine, R =Cl) were found to effectively inhibit c‐myc gene expression in human hepatocarcinoma cells with IC₅₀ values of ≈17 μM , whereas initial hit 1 displayed no significant effect on gene expression at concentrations up to 50 μM . Complexes 3 a and 4 a have a strong preference for G‐quadruplex DNA over duplex DNA, as revealed by competition dialysis experiments and absorption titration; 3 a and 4 a bind G‐quadruplex DNA with binding constants (K) of approximately 10⁶–10⁷ dm³ mol^?1, which are at least an order of magnitude higher than the K values for duplex DNA. NMR spectroscopic titration experiments and molecular modeling showed that 4 a binds c‐myc G‐quadruplex DNA through an external end‐stacking mode at the 3′‐terminal face of the G‐quadruplex. Intriguingly, binding of c‐myc G‐quadruplex DNA by 3 b is accompanied by an increase of up to 38‐fold in photoluminescence intensity at λ_max=622 nm.     

Two Distinct Thermal Stabilities of DNA and Enzymatic Activities of DNase I in a Multistep Assembly with Carbazole Ligands: Different Binding Characteristics for Duplex and Quadruplex DNA

A partially hydrophobic carbazole ligand ((Im⁺)₂Cz: 2,2′‐(9‐ethyl‐9 H‐carbazole‐3,6‐diyl)bis(ethyne‐2,1‐diyl)bis(1,3‐dimethyl‐1 H‐imidazol‐3‐ium)) adopts two different binding states (binding states I and II) in its interactions with calf‐thymus (ct‐) DNA. Two distinct binding states were identified by biphasic UV/Vis and circular dichroism (CD) spectral changes during the titration of DNA into the carbazole ligand. At low concentrations of ct‐DNA, (Im⁺)₂Cz binds to nearly every part of ct‐DNA (binding state I). By contrast, an increased concentration of ct‐DNA results in a switch in the DNA‐binding state, so that the ligands are bound per five DNA base pairs. Similarly, a monocationic carbazole ligand (Im⁺Cz: 2‐((6‐bromo‐9‐ethyl‐9 H‐carbazol‐3‐yl)ethynyl)‐1,3‐dimethyl‐1 H‐imidazol‐3‐ium) also shows biphasic UV/Vis spectral changes during the titration of ct‐DNA into Im⁺Cz, which suggests two different binding states of the Im⁺Cz ligand with ct‐DNA. The stepwise equilibrium of the ligand–DNA‐complex formation is capable of switching the thermal stability of ct‐DNA, as well as the enzymatic activity of deoxyribonuclease (DNase I). In binding state I, the (Im⁺)₂Cz ligands interact with nearly every base pair in ct‐DNA and stabilize the double‐helix structure, which results in a larger increase in the melting temperature of the ct‐DNA than that observed with binding state II. On the other hand, the (Im⁺)₂Cz ligand significantly reduces the enzymatic activity of DNase I in binding state I, although the enzymatic activity is recovered once the binding state of the ligand–DNA complex is changed to binding state II. The (Im⁺)₂Cz ligand was also employed as a binder for G‐quadruplex DNA. In contrast to the stepwise complex formation between (Im⁺)₂Cz and ct‐DNA, (Im⁺)₂Cz shows a monotonous UV/Vis spectral response during the titration of G‐quadruplex DNA into (Im⁺)₂Cz, which suggests a single binding state for (Im⁺)₂Cz with G‐quadruplex DNA.     

Complexation of Phenol and Thiophenol by Amine N‐Oxides: Isothermal Titration Calorimetry and ab Initio Calculations

To develop a new solvent‐impregnated resin (SIR) system for removal of phenols from water, the complex formation of dimethyldodecylamine N‐oxide (DMDAO), trioctylamine N‐oxide (TOAO), and tris(2‐ethylhexyl)amine N‐oxide (TEHAO) with phenol (PhOH) and thiophenol (PhSH) is studied. To this end we use isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) and quantum chemical modeling (on B3LYP/6‐311G(d,p)‐optimized geometries: B3LYP/6‐311+G(d,p), B3LYP/6‐311++G(2d,2p), MP2/6‐311+G(d,p), and spin component scaled (SCS) MP2/6‐311+G(d,p); M06‐2X/6‐311+G(d,p)//M06‐2X/6‐311G(d,p), MP2 with an extrapolation to the complete basis set limit (MP2/CBS), as well as CBS‐Q). The complexes are analyzed in terms of structural (e.g., bond lengths) and electronic elements (e.g., charges). Furthermore, complexation and solvent effects (in benzene, toluene, and mesitylene) are investigated by ITC measurements, yielding binding constants K, enthalpies ΔH⁰, Gibbs fre energies ΔG⁰, and entropies ΔS⁰ of complex formation, and stoichiometry N. The ITC measurements revealed strong 1:1 complex formation between both DMDAO–PhOH and TOAO–PhOH. The binding constant (K=1.7–5.7×10⁴ M ^?1) drops markedly when water‐saturated toluene was used (K=5.8×10³ M ^?1), and π–π interaction with the solvent is shown to be relevant. Quantum mechanical modeling confirms formation of stable 1:1 complexes with linear hydrogen bonds that weaken on attachment of electron‐withdrawing groups to the amine N‐oxide moiety. Modeling also showed that complexes with PhSH are much weaker than those with PhOH, and in fact too weak for ITC determination. CBS‐Q incorrectly predicts equal or even higher binding enthalpies for PhSH than for PhOH, which invalidates it as a benchmark for other calculations. Data from the straightforward SCS‐MP2 method without counterpoise correction show very good agreement with the MP2/CBS values.     

Voltammetric Studies of the Interactions Between Ferrocene‐Labeled Glutathione and Proteins in Solution or Immobilized onto Surface

Glutathione (GSH) tagged with a ferrocene (Fc) label at its C‐terminal was synthesized via coupling ferrocenyl amine to glutathione using o‐(benzotriazol‐1‐yl)‐N,N,N′,N′‐tetramethyluronium (HBTU)/1‐hydroxybenzotrizole (HOBt). The presence of Fc yielded well defined voltammetric signals, rendering the Fc‐tagged GSH (GSH‐Fc) suitable for electrochemical studies of GSH binding to other biological species. The interaction of GSH‐Fc with bovine serum albumin (BSA) was investigated, and a binding ratio of 1.41±0.06 (GSH‐Fc/BSA) and an affinity constant K_a of 6.53±2.01×10⁶ M^?1 were determined. These results compare well with those measured by fluorescence using untagged GSH, suggesting that the attachment of Fc to GSH does not significantly perturb the GSH structure and binding behavior. By contrasting the binding behavior to several compounds that are known to conjugate to different domains of BSA, the voltammetric study confirmed that GSH‐Fc binds at subdomain IIA of BSA with high affinity. The versatility of GSH‐Fc for studying GSH binding to surface‐confined proteins was also demonstrated with the GSH binding to electroinactive Zn‐metallothionein (Zn₇‐MT) through hydrogen binding at the region between the Zn₇‐MT α and β domains.     

Interactions of Dissolved dsDNA with Intercalating Drug by Anodic Voltammetry and Spectroscopy. Influence of pH

The interactions of C‐1305 (5‐dimethylaminopropylamino‐8‐hydroxy‐6H‐v‐triazolo[4,5,1‐de]acridin‐6‐one) with DNA were studied using differential pulse voltammetry and UV‐vis spectroscopy. C‐1305 interacts with dsDNA in two ways: by intercalation and by binding to the minor‐groove. For the intercalation at physiological pH (7.4) the values of the binding constant, K₁, and the binding‐site size, n₁, equal 3.36×10⁵ M^?1 and 2.5, respectively. For the weak interactions the K₂ and n₂ parameters equal 0.18×10⁵ M^?1 and 4. In the presence of excess NaCl the weak interactions do not vanish, therefore they are assigned to the minor groove binding. Substantial and complex is the influence of pH.     

Spectroscopic Studies on the Binding of Kaempferol‐3,7‐α‐L‐rhamnopyranoside to Bovine Serum Albumin

The binding of kaempferol‐3,7‐α‐L‐rhamnopyranoside (KRR) with bovine serum albumin (BSA) was investigated by different spectroscopic methods under simulative physiological conditions. Analysis of ?uorescence quenching data of BSA by KRR at different temperatures using Stern‐Volmer methods revealed the formation of a ground state KRR‐BSA complex with moderate binding constant of the order 10⁴ L·mol^?1. The existence of some metal ions could weaken the binding of KRR on BSA. The changes in the van't Hoff enthalpy (ΔH⁰) and entropy (ΔS⁰) of the interaction were estimated to be ?26.53 kJ·mol^?1 and 3.33 J·mol^?1·K^?1 and both hydrophobic and electrostatic forces contributed to stabilizing the BSA‐KRR complex. According to the F?ster theory of non‐radiation energy transfer, the distance r between the donor (BSA) and the acceptor (KRR) was obtained (r=2.83 nm). Site marker competitive experiments showed that KRR could bind to Site I of BSA. In addition, synchronous fluorescence, UV‐Vis absorption and circular dichroism (CD) results indicated that the KRR binding could cause conformational changes of BSA.     

Hydrophobically modified poly (acrylic acid) using calix[4]arene derivative. Ionophoric properties and extraction abilities toward alkali metal cations

p‐t‐Butyl calix[4]arene diol (distal cone) (1) was grafted with poly (acrylic acid) (PAA) to obtain hydrophobically modified PAA (PAA‐C) bearing calixarene moieties. The grafting method includes the direct esterification reaction of PAA with calixarene diol 1 which was carried out in a system of tosyl chloride (TsCl), pyridine (Py), and N,N‐dimethylformamide (DMF). The grafting yield was studied using different molar ratios of PAA to calix[4]arene diol 1, temperature, and reaction time. The chemical composition of the PAA‐C was studied by IR and ¹H NMR spectroscopy. Also, the morphology of PAA‐C was evaluated by scanning electron microscopy. The PAA‐C had different solubility and thermal properties. The extraction ability measurements of modified PAA toward alkali metal cations (Na⁺, K⁺, Cs⁺) and Ag⁺ showed a remarkable efficiency and selectivity of PAA‐C toward Na⁺. The main goal of this work was to design hydrophobically modified PAA with binding ability that is suitable for ion selective membranes and chemical sensor devices such as ion‐specific electrodes, semipermeable membranes, and quartz microbalances. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

DNA binding and nuclease activity of cationic iron(IV) and manganese(III) corrole complexes

Cationic meso(4‐N‐methylpyridyl)‐based metallocorroles, μ‐oxo iron corrole dimer ( 1b ) and manganese corrole monomer ( 2b ), were synthesized and characterized. The interactions of these two metal corrole complexes with CT‐DNA were studied by UV–visible, fluorescence and circular dichroism spectroscopic methods, as well as by viscosity measurements. The results revealed that 1b interacts with CT‐DNA in a difunctional binding mode, i.e. non‐classical intercalation and outside groove binding with H‐aggregation, while 2b can interact with CT‐DNA via an outside groove binding mode only. The binding constants K_b of 1b and 2b were 4.71 × 10⁵ m ^?1 and 2.17 × 10⁵ m ^?1, respectively, indicating that 1b can bind more tightly to CT‐DNA than 2b . Furthermore, both complexes may cleave the supercoiled plasmid DNA efficiently in the presence of hydrogen peroxide or tert‐butyl hydroperoxide (TBHP), albeit 1b exhibited a little higher efficiency. The inhibitor tests suggested that singlet oxygen and high‐valent (oxo)iron(VI) corrole or (oxo)manganese(V) corrole might be the active intermediates responsible for the oxidative DNA scission. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Binding of Cu+ and Cu2+ with peptides: Peptides = oxytocin,Arg8‐vasopressin,bradykinin, angiotensin‐I,substance‐P,somatostatin, and neurotensin

The intrinsic binding ability of 7 natural peptides (oxytocin, arg⁸‐vasopressin, bradykinin, angiotensin‐I, substance‐P, somatostatin, and neurotensin) with copper in 2 different oxidation states (Cu^I/II) derived from different Cu^+/2+ precursor sources have been investigated for their charge‐dependent binding characteristics. The peptide‐Cu^I/II complexes, [M − (n‐1)H + nCu^I] and [M − (2n‐1)H + nCu^II], are prepared/generated by the reaction of peptides with CuI solution/Cu‐target and CuSO₄ solution and are analyzed by using matrix‐assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry. The MALDI mass spectra of both [M − (n‐1)H + nCu^I] and [M − (2n‐1)H + nCu^II] complexes show no mass shift due to the loss of ─H atoms in the main chain ─NH of these peptides by Cu⁺ and Cu²⁺ deprotonation. The measured m/z value indicates the reduction of Cu^I/II oxidation state into Cu⁰ during MALDI processes. The number and relative abundance of Cu⁺ bound to the peptides are greater compared with the Cu²⁺ bound peptides. Oxytocin, arg⁸‐vasopressin, bradykinin, substance‐P, and somatostatin show the binding of 5Cu⁺, and angiotensin‐I and neurotensin show the binding of 7Cu⁺ from both CuI and Cu targets, while bradykinin shows the binding of 2Cu²⁺, oxytocin, arg⁸‐vasopressin, angiotensin‐I, and substance‐P; somatostatin shows the binding of 3Cu²⁺; and neurotensin shows 4Cu²⁺ binding. The binding of more Cu⁺ with these small peptides signifies that the bonding characteristics of both Cu⁺ and Cu²⁺ are different. The amino acid residues responsible for the binding of both Cu⁺ and Cu²⁺ in these peptides have been identified based on the density functional theory computed binding energy values of Cu⁺ and the fragment transformation method predicted binding preference of Cu²⁺ for individual amino acids.     

Metal‐Ion‐Mediated Tuning of Duplex DNA Binding by Bis(2‐(2‐pyridyl)‐1H‐benzimidazole)

Studies of double‐stranded‐DNA binding have been performed with three isomeric bis(2‐(n‐pyridyl)‐1H‐benzimidazole)s (n=2, 3, 4). Like the well‐known Hoechst 33258, which is a bisbenzimidazole compound, these three isomers bind to the minor groove of duplex DNA. DNA binding by the three isomers was investigated in the presence of the divalent metal ions Mg²⁺, Co²⁺, Ni²⁺, Cu²⁺, and Zn²⁺. Ligand–DNA interactions were probed with fluorescence and circular dichroism spectroscopy. These studies revealed that the binding of the 2‐pyridyl derivative to DNA is dramatically reduced in the presence of Co²⁺, Ni²⁺, and Cu²⁺ ions and is abolished completely at a ligand/metal‐cation ratio of 1:1. Control experiments done with the isomeric 3‐ and 4‐pyridyl derivatives showed that their binding to DNA is unaffected by the aforementioned transition‐metal ions. The ability of 2‐(2‐pyridyl)benzimidazole to chelate metal ions and the conformational changes of the ligand associated with ion chelation probably led to such unusual binding results for the ortho isomer. The addition of ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) reversed the effects completely.     

Template‐Assembled Synthetic G‐Quadruplex (TASQ): A Useful System for Investigating the Interactions of Ligands with Constrained Quadruplex Topologies

A new biomolecular device for investigating the interactions of ligands with constrained DNA quadruplex topologies, using surface plasmon resonance (SPR), is reported. Biomolecular systems containing an intermolecular‐like G‐quadruplex motif 1 (parallel G‐quadruplex conformation), an intramolecular G‐quadruplex 2 , and a duplex DNA 3 have been designed and developed. The method is based on the concept of template‐assembled synthetic G‐quadruplex (TASQ), whereby quadruplex DNA structures are assembled on a template that allows precise control of the parallel G‐quadruplex conformation. Various known G‐quadruplex ligands have been used to investigate the affinities of ligands for intermolecular 1 and intramolecular 2 DNA quadruplexes. As anticipated, ligands displaying a π‐stacking binding mode showed a higher binding affinity for intermolecular‐like G‐quadruplexes 1 , whereas ligands with other binding modes (groove and/or loop binding) showed no significant difference in their binding affinities for the two quadruplexes 1 or 2 . In addition, the present method has also provided information about the selectivity of ligands for G‐quadruplex DNA over the duplex DNA. A numerical parameter, termed the G‐quadruplex binding mode index (G4‐BMI), has been introduced to express the difference in the affinities of ligands for intermolecular G‐quadruplex 1 against intramolecular G‐quadruplex 2 . The G‐quadruplex binding mode index (G4‐BMI) of a ligand is defined as follows: G4‐BMI=K_D^intra/K_D^inter, where K_D^intra is the dissociation constant for intramolecular G‐quadruplex 2 and K_D^inter is the dissociation constant for intermolecular G‐quadruplex 1 . In summary, the present work has demonstrated that the use of parallel‐constrained quadruplex topology provides more precise information about the binding modes of ligands.     

Aromatic and aliphatic CH hydrogen bonds fight for chloride while competing alongside ion pairing within triazolophanes

Triazolophanes are used as the venue to compete an aliphatic propylene CH hydrogen‐bond donor against an aromatic phenylene one. Longer aliphatic C? H ??? Cl^? hydrogen bonds were calculated from the location of the chloride within the propylene‐based triazolophane. The gas‐phase energetics of chloride binding (ΔG_bind, ΔH_bind, ΔS_bind) and the configurational entropy (ΔS_config) were computed by taking all low‐energy conformations into account. Comparison between the phenylene‐ and propylene‐based triazolophanes shows the computed gas‐phase free energy of binding decreased from ΔG_bind=?194 to ?182 kJ mol^?1, respectively, with a modest enthalpy–entropy compensation. These differences were investigated experimentally. An ¹H NMR spectroscopy study on the structure of the propylene triazolophane’s 1:1 chloride complex is consistent with a weaker propylene CH hydrogen bond. To quantify the affinity differences between the two triazolophanes in dichloromethane, it was critical to obtain an accurate binding model. Four equilibria were identified. In addition to 1:1 complexation and 2:1 sandwich formation, ion pairing of the tetrabutylammonium chloride salt (TBA⁺ ? Cl^?) and cation pairing of TBA⁺ with the 1:1 triazolophane–chloride complex were observed and quantified. Each complex was independently verified by ESI‐MS or diffusion NMR spectroscopy. With ion pairing deconvoluted from the chloride–receptor binding, equilibrium constants were determined by using ¹H NMR (500 μM ) and UV/Vis (50 μM ) spectroscopy titrations. The stabilities of the 1:1 complexes for the phenylene and propylene triazolophanes did not differ within experimental error, ΔG=(?38±2) and (?39±1) kJ mol^?1, respectively, as verified by an NMR spectroscopy competition experiment. Thus, the aliphatic CH donor only revealed its weaker character when competing with aromatic CH donors within the propylene‐based triazolophane.     

Spectroscopic studies on the interaction of alpha‐eleostearic acid with calf thymus DNA

Interaction between alpha‐eleostearic acid (α‐ESA) and calf thymus DNA in Tris‐HCl buffer (pH = 7.4) using neutral red (NR) dye as a spectral probe was investigated using UV–Vis absorption and fluorescence spectroscopy. Spectral data matrix of the complexed reaction between α‐ESA and NR with DNA was processed with an alternative least‐squares (ALS) algorithm, the obtained concentration profiles and the corresponding pure spectra for species (NR, DNA–NR, and DNA–NR–ESA) demonstrated three kinds of reactions might occur in the system. The major groove binding between α‐ESA and DNA was further validated using circular dichroism, viscosity, DNA melting, and ionic strength effect measurements. Moreover, the calculated values of thermodynamic parameters, such as enthalpy (ΔH^θ, ?22.04 kJ/mol) and entropy change (ΔS^θ, 91.52 J K^?1 mol^?1), suggested binding between α‐ESA and DNA was mainly driven by hydrophobic interactions and hydrogen bonds without electrostatic force.     

Affinity Enhancement by Dendritic Side Chains in Synthetic Carbohydrate Receptors

Dendritic side chains have been used to modify the binding environment in anthracene‐based synthetic carbohydrate receptors. Control of length, charge, and branching enabled the positioning of side‐chain carboxylate groups in such a way that they assisted in binding substrates rather than blocking the cavity. Conformational degeneracy in the dendrimers resulted in effective preorganization despite the flexibility of the system. Strong binding was observed to glucosammonium ions in water, with K_a values up to 7000 M ^?1. Affinities for uncharged substrates (glucose and N‐acetylglucosamine) were also enhanced, despite competition from solvent and the absence of electrostatic interactions.     

Copper(II) and Sodium(I) Complexes based on 3,7‐Diacetyl‐1,3,7‐triaza‐5‐phosphabicyclo[3.3.1]nonane‐5‐oxide: Synthesis,Characterization, and Catalytic Activity

The reaction of 3,7‐diacetyl‐1,3,7‐triaza‐5‐phosphabicyclo[3.3.1]nonane (DAPTA) with metal salts of Cu^II or Na^I/Ni^II under mild conditions led to the oxidized phosphane derivative 3,7‐diacetyl‐1,3,7‐triaza‐5‐phosphabicyclo[3.3.1]nonane‐5‐oxide (DAPTA=O) and to the first examples of metal complexes based on the DAPTA=O ligand, that is, [Cu^II(μ‐CH₃COO)₂(κO‐DAPTA=O)]₂ ( 1 ) and [Na(1κOO′;2κO‐DAPTA=O)(MeOH)]₂(BPh₄)₂ ( 2 ). The catalytic activity of 1 was tested in the Henry reaction and for the aerobic 2,2,6,6‐tetramethylpiperidin‐1‐oxyl (TEMPO)‐mediated oxidation of benzyl alcohol. Compound 1 was also evaluated as a model system for the catechol oxidase enzyme by using 3,5‐di‐tert‐butylcatechol as the substrate. The kinetic data fitted the Michaelis–Menten equation and enabled the obtainment of a rate constant for the catalytic reaction; this rate constant is among the highest obtained for this substrate with the use of dinuclear Cu^II complexes. DFT calculations discarded a bridging mode binding type of the substrate and suggested a mixed‐valence Cu^II/Cu^I complex intermediate, in which the spin electron density is mostly concentrated at one of the Cu atoms and at the organic ligand.