Hydroxy-Substituted Azacalix[4]Pyridines: Synthesis, Structure, and Construction of Functional Architectures.

A number of hydroxyl-substituted azacalix[4]pyridines were synthesized using Pd-catalyzed macrocyclic "2+2" and "3+1" coupling methods and the protection-deprotection strategy of hydroxyl group. While the conformation of the these hydroxyl-substituted azacalix[4]pyridines is fluxional in solution, in the solid state, they adopted shape-persistent 1,3-alternate conformations. Besides, X-ray analysis revealed that the existence of hydroxy groups on the para-position of pyridine facilitated the formation of solvent-bridged intermolecular hydrogen bonding for mono-hydroxyl-substituted while partial tautomerization for four-hydroxyl-substituted macrocycles, respectively. Taking the hydroxyl-substituted azacalix[4]pyridines as molecular platforms, multi-macrocycle-containing architectures and functional building blocks were constructed. The self-assembly behavior of the resulting building blocks was investigated in crystalline state.

Stabilizing G-quadruplex DNA by methylazacalix[n]pyridine through shape-complementary interaction.

It is found that G-quadruplexes have important functions in biological systems, such as gene expression. Molecules which can stabilize the G-quadruplex structure may have potential application in regulating the expression of gene. A series of methylazacalix[n]pyridine (n=4, 6, 7, 8, 9) has been tested to stabilize the intermolecular human telomeric G-quadruplex (T12 and H12), intramolecular TBA, c-kit and bcl-2 G-quadruplex by CD denaturation experiments. The results showed that only methylazacalix[6]pyridine (MACP6) can stabilize the intermolecular G-quadruplex formed from the 12bp human telomere. Further studies evidenced that the shape-complementary binding mode was what contributed to the interaction between MACP6 and T12 G-quadruplex.

G-quadruplex induced chirality of methylazacalix[6]pyridine via unprecedented binding stoichiometry: en route to multiplex controlled molecular switch.

Nucleic acid based molecular device is a developing research field which attracts great interests in material for building machinelike nanodevices. G-quadruplex, as a new type of DNA secondary structures, can be harnessed to construct molecular device owing to its rich structural polymorphism. Herein, we developed a switching system based on G-quadruplexes and methylazacalix[6]pyridine (MACP6). The induced circular dichroism (CD) signal of MACP6 was used to monitor the switch controlled by temperature or pH value. Furthermore, the CD titration, Job-plot, variable temperature CD and (1)H-NMR experiments not only confirmed the binding mode between MACP6 and G-quadruplex, but also explained the difference switching effect of MACP6 and various G-quadruplexes. The established strategy has the potential to be used as the chiral probe for specific G-quadruplex recognition.

Regulating the Conformation of Methylazacalix[6]pyridine by Oligonucleotide BCL-2 2345 and Its Recognition of Hydroxymethylpiperazinofullerene.

Calixaromatics have attracted much attention on molecular recognition owing to their flexible conformations, cavity structures, versatile recognition properties, and functions. However, conformational control of calixaromatics is still a challenging topic in the field of calixaromatics. Therefore, we explore the possibility to control the chirality of achiral calixaromatics, methylazacalix[6]pyridine (abbreviated as MACP6), by templating of DNA. We have found that MACP6 with opposite chirality can be achieved by controlling the secondary structure of bcl-2 2345 DNA. Furthermore, MACP6 with different chirality has been used to recognize fullerene derivatives in aqueous solution. Our results have provided a possible approach to construct chiral calixaromatics.

Effects of loops and nucleotides in G-quadruplexes on their interaction with an azacalixarene, methylazacalix[6]pyridine.

A novel trend in G-quadruplex ligand design is to build a binder that is able to not only discriminate G-quadruplex from duplex-DNA, but also among various G-quadruplex structures. Methylazacalix[6]pyridine (MACP6), a new type of azacalixarene with flexible conformation, exhibits induced circular dichroism signals when interacted with most of G-quadruplexes. The intensities of the induced signals are strongly dependent on the topology of G-quadruplexes. Further evidence has shown that these signals can be ascribed to the preferred binding of MACP6 to the loops of G-quadruplexes, which rely on the nature of nucleotides in the loops.

Synthesis of (NH)(m)(NMe)(4-m)-bridged calix[4]pyridines and the effect of NH bridge on structure and properties.

The (NH)(m)(NMe)(4-m)-bridged calix[4]pyridines (m = 1-4) 19-23 were synthesized in excellent yields from deprotection of N-allyl groups of (NAllyl)(m)(NMe)(4-m)-bridged calix[4]pyridine derivatives 8 and 15-18, which were prepared in moderate yields by macrocyclic 2+2 and 1+3 coupling reactions between simple diamino- and dibromo-substituted fragments. In the solid state, (NH)(m)(NMe)(4-m)-bridged calix[4]pyridines adopted different 1,3-alternate conformations due to mainly the formation of varied conjugation systems of bridging NH units with their neighboring pyridines. In solution, all (NH)(m)(NMe)(4-m)-bridged calix[4]pyridines were very fluxional and the rates of interconversion of various conformational structures were very rapid relative to the NMR time scale. While (NH)(4)-bridged calix[4]pyridine 23 formed the strongest conjugation system, (NH)(2)(NMe)(2)-bridged calix[4]pyridine 21 acted as a selective fluorescence probe in the recognition of zinc(II) ion in solution with the dramatic enhancement of fluorescence intensity.

Synthesis of large macrocyclic azacalix[n]pyridines (n = 6 - 9) and their complexation with fullerenes C(60) and C(70).

Large methylazacalix[n]pyridines (n = 6-9) were synthesized effectively from the Pd-catalyzed macrocyclic fragment coupling reactions between alpha,omega-dibrominated and alpha,omega-diaminated linear oligomers. As macrocyclic host molecules, they formed a 1:1 complex with fullerenes C(60) and C(70) with association constants ranging from 3 x 10(4) to 1 x 10(5) M(-1).