A post-elongation strategy for the introduction of guanidinium units in the main chain of helical oligourea foldamers

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In situ iodination and X-ray crystal structure of a foldamer helix bundle

We report here the efficient in situ iodination of tyrosine-type side-chains located within a foldamer helix bundle, permitting structure determination using single-wavelength anomalous diffraction (SAD) methods. We suggest that this simple method may be of use to those engaged in structural foldamer research as a potential solution to the phase problem

C-Terminal-Modified Oligourea Foldamers as a Result of Terminal Methyl Ester Reactions under Alkaline Conditions

Hybrids of short oligourea foldamers with residues of α, β and γ-amino acids esters at the C-terminus were obtained and subjected to a reaction with LiOH. There are two possible transformations under such conditions, one of which is ester hydrolysis and the formation of a carboxylic group and the other is the cyclization reaction after abstraction of a proton from urea by a base. We have investigated this reaction with difference C-terminal residue structures, as well as under different work-up conditions, especially for oligourea hybrids with α-amino acid esters. For these compounds, an oligourea–hydantoin combination is the product of cyclization. The stability of the hydantoin ring under alkaline conditions has been alsotested. Furthermore, this work reports data related to the structure of C-terminal-modified oligourea foldamers in solution and, for one compound, in the solid state. Helical folding is preserved both for cyclized and linear modifications, with oligourea–acid hybrids appearing to be more conformationally stable, as they are stabilized by an additional intramolecular hydrogen bond in comparison to cyclic derivatives

QUATERNARY ASSEMBLIES OF WATER-SOLUBLE NON-PEPTIDE HELICAL FOLDAMERS, THEIR USE AND PRODUCTION THEREOF

The present description provides compositions and methods for producing therapeutic oligomeric compounds. In another aspect the description provides methods for administering the oligomeric compounds for the treatment and prevention of disease in a mammal. In particular, the disclosure relates to medicaments comprising various novel oligomeric compounds and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof. The compounds of the disclosure may optionally be administered with at least one of a pharmaceutically acceptable excipient, additional pharmacologically active agent or a combination thereof

FOLDAMER HELIX BUNDLE-BASED MOLECULAR ENCAPSULATION

The present description provides compositions and methods for producing therapeutic oligomeric compounds. In another aspect the description provides methods for administering the oligomeric compounds for the treatment and prevention of disease in a mammal. In particular, the disclosure relates to medicaments comprising various novel oligomeric compounds and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof. The compounds of the disclosure may optionally be administered with at least one of a pharmaceutically acceptable excipient, additional pharmacologically active agent or a combination thereof

Foldamer helix bundle-based molecular encapsulation

The present description provides compositions and methods for producing therapeutic oligomeric compounds. In another aspect the description provides methods for administering the oligomeric compounds for the treatment and prevention of disease in a mammal. In particular, the disclosure relates to medicaments comprising various novel oligomeric compounds and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof. The compounds of the disclosure may optionally be administered with at least one of a pharmaceutically acceptable excipient, additional pharmacologically active agent or a combination thereof

Oligourea helix bundle binds detergents with diverse polar head groups

Detergents bearing diverse polar head groups including ionic, zwitterionic and non-ionic can adaptively bind to an oligourea helix bundle through hydrophobic effect in water.Mimétisme et ingénierie d'enzymes artificielles à l'aide de foldamère

Anatomy of an Oligourea Six-Helix Bundle

Non-natural synthetic oligomers that adopt well-defined secondary structures (i.e., foldamers) represent appealing components for the fabrication of bioinspired self assembled architectures at the nanometer scale. Recently, peptidomimetic N,N'-linked oligourea helices have been designed de novo with the ability to fold into discrete helix bundles in aqueous conditions. In order to gain better insight into the determinants of oligourea helix bundle formation, we have investigated the sequence-to-structure relationship of an 11-mer oligourea previously shown to assemble into a six-helix bundle. Using circular dichroism, NMR spectroscopy, native mass-spectrometry and X-ray crystallography, we studied how bundle formation was affected by systematic replacement of the hydrophobic surface of the oligourea helix with either polar or different hydrophobic side chains. The molecular information gathered here has revealed several key requirements for foldamer bundle formation in aqueous conditions, and provides valuable insight toward the development of foldamer quaternary assemblies with improved (bio)physical properties and divergent topologies

Crystal structures capture multiple stoichiometric states of an aqueous self-assembling oligourea foldamer

We report here an oligourea foldamer able to self-assemble in aqueous conditions into helix bundles of multiple stoichiometries. Importantly, we report crystal structures of several of these stoichiometries, providing a series of high-resolutions snap-shots of the structural polymorphism of this foldamer and uncovering a novel self-assembly

Postelongation Strategy for the Introduction of Guanidinium Units in the Main Chain of Helical Oligourea Foldamers

The synthesis of hybrid urea-based foldamers containing isosteric guanidinium linkages at selected positions in the sequence is described. We used a postelongation approach whereby the guanidinium moiety is introduced by direct transformation of a parent oligo­(urea/thiourea) foldamer precursor. The method involves activation of the thiourea by treatment with methyl iodide and subsequent reaction with amines. To avoid undesired cyclization with the preceding urea moiety, resulting in heterocyclic guanidinium formation in the main chain, the urea unit preceding the thiourea unit in the sequence was replaced by an isoatomic and isostructural γ-amino acid. The approach was extended to solid-phase techniques to accelerate the synthesis of longer and more functionalized sequences. Under optimized conditions, an octamer hybrid oligomer incorporating a central guanidinium linkage was obtained in good overall yield and purity. This work also reports data related to the structural consequences of urea by guanidinium replacements in solution and reveals that helical folding is substantially reduced in oligomers containing a guanidinium group