Diphenylacetylene-linked peptide strands induce bidirectional ß-sheet formation.

In the search for synthetic mimics of protein secondary structures relevant to the mediation of protein-protein interactions, we have synthesized a series of tetrasubstituted diphenylacetylenes that display ß-sheet structures in two directions. Extensive X-ray crystallographic and NMR solution phase studies are consistent with these proteomimetics adopting sheet structures, displaying both hydrophobic and hydrophilic amino acid side chains.