Shohei Tashiro

Inducing α-Helices in Short Oligopeptides through Binding by an Artificial Hydrophobic Cavity

Short peptides were induced into alpha-helix conformations in water through enclathration to an artificial hydrophobic cavity. Peptides with two aromatic residues showed high affinity for the host, and these intermolecular aromatic-aromatic interactions specifically drove the helical folding of short peptides.

Soft Metal-Mediated Base Pairing with Novel Synthetic Nucleosides Possessing an O,S-Donor Ligand

Metal-mediated base pairing with artificial ligand-bearing nucleosides allows site-selective metal incorporation inside DNA duplexes. In particular, this strategy has provided a general way of discrete, heterogeneous metal arrays in a programmable manner. To increase the kind of metallo-building blocks, we have newly synthesized two artificial nucleosides which have an O, S-donor ligand as the nucleobase moiety, mercaptopyridone ( M) and hydroxypyridinethione ( S). These nucleosides were found to efficiently form metal-mediated base pairs with soft transition metal ions such as Pd (2+) and Pt (2+).

In situ X-ray snapshot analysis of transient molecular adsorption in a crystalline channel

Molecular adsorption is a fundamental phenomenon in porous materials and is usually characterized by the efficiency and selectivity of molecular separations and reactions. However, for functional porous materials, analysis of the dynamic behaviour of molecular adsorbents is a major challenge. Here, we use in situ single-crystal X-ray diffraction to analyse multi-step molecular adsorption in a crystalline nanochannel of a metal-macrocycle framework. The pore surface of the metal-macrocycle framework crystal contains five different enantiomerically paired binding pockets, to which the adsorption of a (1R)-1-(3-chlorophenyl)ethanol solution was monitored with time. The resulting X-ray snapshot analyses suggest that the guest adsorption process takes a two-step pathway before equilibrium, in which the guest molecule is temporarily trapped by a neighbouring binding site. This demonstrates the potential for using X-ray analyses to visualize a transient state during a non-covalent self-assembly process.

Multipoint Recognition of Ditopic Aromatic Guest Molecules via Ag−π Interactions within a Dimetal Macrocycle

A macrocyclic host molecule possessing a nanocavity with two Ag(I) centers for guest binding and four anthracene walls has been developed. This dimetal-macrocycle forms stable inclusion complexes with ditopic aromatic guest molecules, [2.2]paracyclophane, and ferrocene, in solution and/or in the solid state through Ag-π interactions within the nanocavity. The binding constants for the inclusion complexes were found to range roughly from 10(4) to 10(9) M(-1). Electrochemical measurement revealed that the oxidized form of the included cationic ferrocene was less stabilized due to the direct binding to the cationic two Ag(I) centers.

Spectroscopic and crystallographic studies on the stability of self-assembled coordination nanotubes

On complexation with (en)Pd(NO3)2, tetrakis(3,5-pyridine) ligand gives two isomeric coordination nanotubes, which are in slow equilibrium despite the presence of sixteen Pd-N bonds in the tube framework.

Heterodinuclear Metal Arrangement in a Flat Macrocycle with Two Chemically- Equivalent Metal Chelating Sites

A phenanthroline-based macrocycle 1 has been newly developed which has two chemically equivalent metal chelating sites within the spatially restricted cavity for dinuclear metal arrangement. The macrocycle 1 reacts with Zn(CF(3)CO(2))(2) or ZnCl(2) to form homodinuclear Zn(II)-complexes. A single-crystal X-ray structural analysis of the resulting Zn(2)1(CF(3)CO(2))(4) determined the complex structure in which two Zn(II) ions are bound by two phenanthroline sites and two CF(3)CO(2)(-) ions bind to each Zn(II) ion in a tetrahedral geometry. Similarly, a homodinuclear Cu(I)-macrocycle was formed from 1 and Cu(CH(3)CN)(4)BF(4). Notably, from 1 and an equimolar mixture of Cu(CH(3)CN)(4)BF(4) and Zn(CF(3)CO(2))(2), a heterodinuclear Cu(I)-Zn(II)-macrocycle was exclusively formed in high yield (>90%) because of the relatively low stability of the dinuclear Cu(I)-macrocycle. A heterodinuclear Ag(I)-Zn(II)-macrocycle was similarly formed with fairly high selectivity from a mixture of Ag(I) and Zn(II) ions. Such selective heterodinuclear metal arrangement was not observed with other combinations of M-Zn(II) (M = Li(I), Mg(II), Pd(II), Hg(II), La(III), and Tb(III)).

Dynamic aspects in host–guest complexation by coordination nanotubes

Rod-like guests accommodated in self-assemble coordination nanotubes are shown to stay in the tubes without flipping along its length at room temperature, but rapidly exchange intermolecularly at high temperature.

Chiral recognition of α-amino acids by an optically active (2S,5S,8S,11S)-2,5,8,11-tetraethyl cyclen cobalt(III) complex.

The optically active cobalt(III) complex with chiral cyclen, (2S,5S,8S,11S)-2,5,8,11-tetraethyl-1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane, preferentially binds to D-phenylglycine (D-Phg) or D-t-leucine (D-t-Leu) rather than L-Phg or L-t-Leu, respectively, with 20% de in dimethyl sulfoxide at 293 K. Comparative studies on the crystal structures of cobalt(III) complexes with d-Phg and l-Phg revealed that the diastereoselectivity is due to the difference in the steric hindrance that should occur between the amino group of Phg and the ethyl group of cyclen.

Metallo‐Foldamers with Backbone‐Coordinative Oxime Peptides: Control of Secondary Structures

Metal-mediated secondary structures of peptide-based foldamers were constructed using artificial backbone-coordinative oxime peptides. Complexation of the peptides with Pd(II) afforded several mononuclear and dinuclear secondary structures such as helices and hairpins as confirmed by single-crystal XRD and NMR analyses.

Simultaneous arrangement of up to three different molecules on the pore surface of a metal-macrocycle framework: cooperation and competition.

Porous crystals are excellent materials with potential spatial functions through molecular encapsulation within the pores. Co-encapsulation of multiple different molecules further expands their usability and designability. Herein we report the simultaneous arrangement of up to three different guest molecules, TTF (tetrathiafulvalene), ferrocene, and fluorene, on the pore surfaces of a porous crystalline metal-macrocycle framework (MMF). The position and orientation of adsorbed molecules arranged in the pore were determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. The anchoring effect of hydrogen bonds between the hydroxy groups of the guest molecules and inter-guest cooperation and competition are significant factors in the adsorption behaviors of the guest molecules. This finding would serve as a design basis of multicomponent functionalized nanospaces for elaborate reactions that are realized in enzymes.