cyclo(‐Cha–Oxz–d‐Val–Thz–Ile–Oxz–d‐Val–Thz‐) N,N‐di­methyl­acetamide dihydrate: a square form of cyclo­hexyl­alanine‐incorporated ascidiacycl­amide having the strongest cytotoxicity

The title compound, 1‐cyclo­hexyl­methyl‐1‐de(1‐methyl­propyl)­asci­dia­cycl­amide N,N‐di­methyl­acet­amide di­hy­drate, C₃₉H₅₆N₈O₆S₂·C₄H₉NO·2H₂O, a cyclo­hexyl­alanine‐incorporated ascidiacycl­amide analogue ([Cha]ASC), shows a square form similar to natural ASC. On the other hand, CD (circular dichroism) spectra showed [Cha]ASC to have a folded structure in solution, making it the second known analogue to show a discrepancy between its crystal and solution structures. Moreover, the cytotoxicity of [Cha]ASC (ED₅₀ = 5.6 µg ml⁻¹) was approximately two times stronger than that of natural ASC or a related phenyl­alanine‐incorporated analogue, viz. cyclo(‐Phe–Oxz–d ‐Val–Thz–Ile–Oxz–d ‐Val–Thz‐) ([Phe]ASC), and was confirmed to be associated with the square form. However, [Phe]ASC was previously shown to be folded in the crystal structure, which suggests that the difference between the aromatic and aliphatic rings affects the molecular folding of the ASC mol­ecule.