Synthesis of N-substituted pyrido[4,3-d]pyrimidines for the large-scale production of self-assembled rosettes and nanotubes

J Org Chem. 2013 Nov 15;78(22):11421-6. doi: 10.1021/jo4019792. Epub 2013 Nov 1.

Abstract

N-substituted pyrido[4,3-d]pyrimidines are heterocycles which exhibit the asymmetric hydrogen bonding codes of both guanine and cytosine at 60° angles to each other, such that the molecules self-organize unambiguously into a cyclic hexamer, assembled via 18 intermolecular hydrogen bonds. The synthesis is straightforward and can be concluded in six steps from the commercially available malononitrile dimer. X-ray crystallographic analysis of the supermacrocyclic structure shows an undulating disk with a ca. 10.5 Å cavity, the centers of which do not overlap sufficiently to describe a channel in the solid state. However, AFM, SEM, and TEM imaging in solution reveals the formation of 1D nanostructures in agreement with their self-assembly into rosette supermacrocycles, which then stack linearly to form rosette nanotubes.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Crystallography, X-Ray
  • Cytosine / chemistry
  • Guanine / chemistry
  • Heterocyclic Compounds / chemical synthesis*
  • Heterocyclic Compounds / chemistry
  • Hydrogen Bonding
  • Models, Molecular
  • Molecular Structure
  • Nanotubes / chemistry*
  • Particle Size
  • Pyrimidines / chemical synthesis*
  • Pyrimidines / chemistry
  • Surface Properties

Substances

  • Heterocyclic Compounds
  • Pyrimidines
  • Guanine
  • Cytosine