Determination of binding affinities on solid supports: influence of the loading and the nature of the solid support.

The scope of a solid phase binding assay for the determination of binding affinities between a solid supported substrate and a coloured host has been studied by investigating the influence of the nature and the loading of the solid support.

Delineation of the factors governing reactivity and selectivity in epoxide formation from ammonium ylides and aldehydes.

Diastereoselectivity in reactions of aryl-stabilised ammonium ylides are highly sensitive to the nature of the amine and the ylide substituent. DFT calculations are consistent with a mechanism in which reversibility in betaine formation [despite the high energy (and therefore instability) of ammonium ylides] is finely balanced due to the high barrier to ring closure.

Peptide-polyethylene glycol conjugates: synthesis and properties of peptides bearing a C-terminal polyethylene glycol chain.

The introduction of a polyethylene glycol chain has become a popular tool for increasing water solubility and bioavailability. Our interest in the development of catalytically active peptides and the selective recognition of peptides has led us to investigate strategies to increase the solubility of peptides in organic solvents. Specifically, we became interested in the introduction of solubilizing moieties at the C-terminus of two peptides. Here we present different synthetic strategies for the preparation of peptide-polyethylene glycol conjugates and discuss the effect of the polyethylene glycol chain on the solubility and other properties, such as the catalytic activity of these peptides.

Selective binding of two-armed diketopiperazine receptors to side-chain-protected peptides.

The binding properties of two-armed receptors based on a diketopiperazine template toward side-chain-protected peptides have been elucidated. Selective binding of these diketopiperazine receptors is not limited to side-chain-free peptides, but combinatorial on-bead assays show that also side-chain-protected peptides are recognized with high specificity. Furthermore, the screening of several dye-marked diketopiperazine receptors against an encoded side-chain-protected tripeptide library demonstrated not only their high binding specificities but also revealed that small structural changes suffice to alter the binding preferences significantly.

Flexible but with a defined turn-influence of the template on the binding properties of two-armed receptors.

Combinatorial binding studies revealed that the di(trans-4-aminoproline)diketopiperazine is an ideal template for two-armed receptors with highly selective binding properties towards peptides. It is not only superior to structurally very different diamines but also to the diastereomeric di(cis-4-aminoproline)diketopiperazine. These empiric results are rationalized by the analysis of the conformation of the diastereomeric diketopiperazines in the solid state, by X-ray crystal structure analysis, as well as by NMR studies in solution: to observe highly selective binding, the template needs to be not only conformationally rigid but it must have a specific turn geometry. The combination of combinatorial binding studies, X-ray crystal structure analysis, and NMR spectroscopy gave insight into why the trans,trans-diketopiperazine is a superior template compared to other diamines. Additionally, the results provide a guide for the rational design of two-armed receptors with good binding properties towards peptidic guests.