A comparison of H-pin and hairpin polyamide motifs for the recognition of the minor groove of DNA

Solid-phase polyamide synthesis is extended to the H-pin motif using a Boc-protected bispyrrole monomer and bidirectional synthesis. Sequence-specific recognition of a designated seven base pair target site is achieved by the formation of a 10-ring H-pin polyamide⋅DNA complex in the minor groove. DNA binding properties are compared with the corresponding hairpin polyamides (see below)