Synthesis and NMR Analysis of a Conformationally Controlled β‑Turn Mimetic Torsion Balance

The molecular torsion balance concept was applied to a new conformationally controlled scaffold and synthesized to accurately evaluate pairwise amino acid interactions in an antiparallel β-sheet motif. The scaffold’s core design combines (<i>ortho</i>-tolyl)­amide and <i>o</i>,<i>o</i>,<i>o</i>′-trisubstituted biphenyl structural units to provide a geometry better-suited for intramolecular hydrogen bonding. Like the dibenzodiazocine hinge of the traditional torsion balance, the (<i>ortho</i>-tolyl)­amide unit offers restricted rotation around an N-aryl bond. The resulting two-state folding model is a powerful template for measuring hydrogen bond stability between two competing sequences. The aim of this study was to improve the alignment between the amino acid sequences attached to the upper and lower aromatic rings in order to promote hydrogen bond formation at the correct distance and antiparallel orientation. Bromine substituents were introduced <i>ortho</i> to the upper side chains and compared to a control to test our hypothesis. Hydrogen bond formation has been identified between the NH amide proton of the upper side chain (proton donor) and glycine acetamide of the lower side chain (proton acceptor)