Novel Pseudocyclopeptides Containing 1,4-Disubstituted 1,2,3-Triazole Subunits for Anion Recognition

Anion recognition is one of the most rapidly growing areas in the field of Supramolecular Chemistry due to the vital role of anions in the environment, in biology and in industry. The development of new anion binding motifs that can also be combined with known ones in a novel receptor is a timely topic. In this context, we have synthesized three cyclic pseudopeptides 16, 17 and 18, containing conventional H-bond donors (amide) in combination with, respectively, triazole C–H or triazole C–I functions. All three receptors were synthesized by using a combination of peptide and click chemistry. Structural studies show that all three pseudopeptides adopt conformations with the triazole C-H or C-I groups pointing into the cavity center to allow them to contribute to binding. Quantitative binding studies showed that the cyclic pseudohexapeptide 1 coordinates to oxoanions (sulfate, dihydrogenphosphate, and hydrogenpyrophosphate) with different binding strengths and complex stoichiometries in 2.5 vol% water/DMSO. Anion selectivity of 16 significantly changes when the cavity size of this pseudopeptide is increased to obtain the larger analog 17. This pseudooctapeptide forms well defined complexes with protonated phosphate anions. The complexation involves sandwiching of a cyclic tetramer of dihydrogenphosphate or a dimer of dihydrogenpyrophosphate anions by two pseudopeptide rings. Both complexes were characterized structurally in the solid state. They are stable in solution (2.5 vol% water/DMSO) as result of the interaction between hydrogen bond donors of 17 and the oxygen atoms of the anionic aggregates. The complexes can also be transferred to the gas phase without decomposition. Anion selectivity of 16 was further altered by introducing iodine atom in the C5 position of the 1,4-disubstituted 1,2,3-triazole units. The corresponding cyclic pseudohexapeptide 18 features a smaller cavity diameter than 17 as a result of the iodide atoms and was therefore found to only coordinate to smaller spherical anions such as chloride. It forms 1:1 complexes with chloride, bromide and iodide in 2.5 vol% water/DMSO. Among the halides, 18 has highest affinity for chloride followed by bromide and iodide. The same stability trend was also observed in the gas phase by ESI/MS. Concluding, I prepared three new macrocyclic pseudopeptides during my PhD and characterized their complexes with anions in terms of structure and affinity. All of these pseudopeptides were shown to interact with phosphate-derived anions, which renders them unique among the anion receptors developed in the Kubik group before