Disulfide chromophore and its optical activity.

The compounds I-IV derived from α-D-cyclodextrin moiety by bridging and/or interconnecting with various patterns of disulfide bonds were chosen as models for the spectroscopic study of conformation of the disulfide bridge. The energy gap between the disulfide and cyclodextrin's electronic transitions allows us to investigate absorption and electronic circular dichroism spectra without disturbing spectral overlaps with amides or aromatic amino acids in peptides or proteins. Raman optical activity (ROA) spectra were measured and the bands due to S-S and C-S stretching motion identified. Comparison with the quantum mechanical calculations of simple models indicates that sense of disulfide twist follows sign of the measured S-S ROA band.