Development of a Library of Thiophene-Based Drug-Like Lego Molecules: Evaluation of Their Anion Binding,Transport Properties,and Cytotoxicity

The anion-binding and transport properties of an extensive library of thiophene-based molecules are reported. Seventeen bis-urea positional isomers, with different binding conformations and lipophilicities, have been synthesized by appending α- or β-thiophene or α-, β-, or γ-benzob]thiophene moieties to an ortho-phenylenediamine central core, yielding six subsets of positional isomers. Through ¹H NMR, X-ray crystallography, molecular modelling, and anion efflux studies, it is demonstrated that the most active transporters adopt a pre-organized binding conformation capable of promoting the recognition of chloride, using urea and C?H binding groups in a cooperative fashion. Additional large unilamellar vesicle-based assays, carried out under electroneutral and electrogenic conditions, together with N-methyl-d -glucamine chloride assays, have indicated that anion efflux occurs mainly through an H⁺/Cl^? symport mechanism. On the other hand, the most efficient anion transporter displays cytotoxicity against tumor cell lines, while having no effects on a cystic fibrosis cell line.