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Updated: Jul 14, 2026

Formation of Ordered Biomolecular Structures by the Self-assembly of Short Peptides
Published on: November 21, 2013
Anion recognition and anion-mediated self-assembly with thiourea-functionalised fused [3]polynorbornyl frameworks
Frederick M Pfeffer1, Paul E Kruger, Thorfinnur Gunnlaugsson
1School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Waurn Ponds, Australia. thefef@deakin.edu.au
Abstract:
Three conformationally preorganised host molecules based on the [3]polynorbornyl framework and incorporating di-urea receptors were synthesised and their interaction with a series of anions investigated by (1)H NMR spectroscopy. A high affinity of each host molecule for dihydrogenphosphate (H(2)PO(4)(-)) and dihydrogenpyrophosphate (H(2)P(2)O(7)(2-)) was identified. In addition to binding to the urea receptors of the host molecules, evidence for an interaction involving the non-polar C-H groups within the binding cavity of the framework and guest anions was also discovered. Furthermore, an unusual 2 : 1 host-to-anion stoichiometry was indicated when binding H(2)P(2)O(7)(2-), and a model for the anion-mediated self-assembly of this complex species is proposed.
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