Enantioselective recognition of dicarboxylic acid guests based on an allosteric effect of a chiral double-decker porphyrin which changes the stoichiometry upon the guest binding

We analyze the mechanism of the topochemically controlled difunctionalization of C60 and anthracene, where an anthracene molecule is transferred from one C60 monoadduct to another one under exclusive formation of equal amounts of C60 and the difficult to make antipodal C60 bisadduct. Our herein disclosed dispersion corrected DFT studies show the anthracene transfer to take place in a synchronous retro Diels-Alder/Diels-Alder reaction: an anthracene molecule dissociates from one fullerene under formation of an intermediate, while already undergoing stabilizing interactions with both neighboring fullerenes, facilitating the reaction kinetically. In the intermediate, a planar anthracene molecule is sandwiched between two neighboring fullerenes and forms equally strong "double-decker" type pi-pi stacking interactions with both of these fullerenes. Analysis with the distorsion interaction model shows that the anthracene unit of the intermediate is almost planar with minimal distorsions. This analysis sheds light on the existence of noncovalent interactions engaging both faces of a planar polyunsaturated ring and two convex fullerene surfaces in an unprecedented 'inverted sandwich' structure. Hence, it sheds light on new strategies to design functional fullerene based materials.

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SAMPL7 TrimerTrip Host-Guest Binding Poses and Binding Affinities from Spherical-Coordinates-Biased Simulations

10.26434/chemrxiv.12047103 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Zhaoxi Sun

Keyword(s):

Free Energy ◽

Computational Modelling ◽

Free Energy Calculations ◽

Energy Estimates ◽

Binding Affinities ◽

Spherical Coordinates ◽

Collective Variables ◽

Guest Binding ◽

Starting Point ◽

Sampl Challenge

Host-guest binding remains a major challenge in modern computational modelling. The newest 7th statistical assessment of the modeling of proteins and ligands (SAMPL) challenge contains a new series of host-guest systems. The TrimerTrip host binds to 16 structurally diverse guests. Previously, we have successfully employed the spherical coordinates as the collective variables coupled with the enhanced sampling technique metadynamics to enhance the sampling of the binding/unbinding event, search for possible binding poses and predict the binding affinities in all three host-guest binding cases of the 6th SAMPL challenge. In this work, we employed the same protocol to investigate the TrimerTrip host in the SAMPL7 challenge. As no binding pose is provided by the SAMPL7 host, our simulations initiate from randomly selected configurations and are proceeded long enough to obtain converged free energy estimates and search for possible binding poses. The predicted binding affinities are in good agreement with the experimental reference, and the obtained binding poses serve as a nice starting point for end-point or alchemical free energy calculations.

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Cambiarenes: Single-Step Synthesis and Anion Binding of a Clip- Shaped Macrocycle with a Redox-Active Core

10.26434/chemrxiv.9795005.v1 ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

Riley J. Petersen ◽

Brett J. Rozeboom ◽

Shalisa Oburn ◽

Nolan Blythe ◽

Tanner Rathje ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Electron Density ◽

Single Step ◽

Anion Binding ◽

Host Molecule ◽

Selective Binding ◽

The Core ◽

Redox Active ◽

Active Core ◽

Guest Binding

<div>We report the synthesis of a novel macrocyclic host molecule that forms in a single step from commercially available starting materials. The core of the macrocycle backbone possesses two quinone rings and, thus, is redox-active. Host-guest binding involving the clip-shaped cavity indicates selective binding of pyridine N-oxides based of the electron density of and steric bulk of the anionic oxygen.</div>

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Enantioselective Recognition of Chiral Guests by the Water-Soluble Chiral Keplerate {Mo132} Spherical Capsule with 30 Inner Lactate Ligands

10.26434/chemrxiv.8847923.v1 ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

Nancy Watfa ◽

Weimin Xuan ◽

Zoe Sinclair ◽

Robert Pow ◽

Yousef Abul-Haija ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Aqueous Solution ◽

Chiral Recognition ◽

Association Constants ◽

Water Soluble ◽

Enantioselective Recognition ◽

H Nmr ◽

Dosy Nmr ◽

Spherical Capsule ◽

Surface Pores ◽

Guest Chemistry

Investigations of chiral host guest chemistry are important to explore recognition in confined environments. Here, by synthesizing water-soluble chiral porous nanocapsule based on the inorganic metal-oxo Keplerate-type cluster, {Mo132} with chiral lactate ligands with the composition [Mo132O372(H2O)72(x-Lactate)30]42- (x = D or L), it was possible to study the interaction with a chiral guest, L/D-carnitine and (R/S)-2-butanol in aqueous solution. The enantioselective recognition was studied by quantitative 1H NMR and 1H DOSY NMR which highlighted that the chiral recognition is regulated by two distinct sites. Differences in the association constants (K) of L- and D-carnitine, which, due to their charge, are generally restricted from entering the interior of the host, are observed, indicating that their recognition predominantly occurs at the surface pores of the structure. Conversely, a larger difference in association constants (KS/KR = 3) is observed for recognition within the capsule interior of (R)- and (S)-2-butanol.

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