Switching binding sites: low-temperature NMR studies on adenosine-aspartic acid interactions

Low-temperature NMR experiments were performed on mixtures of adenine nucleosides and aspartic acid derivatives in a freonic solvent. By acquiring spectra at temperatures as low as 123 K, the regime of slow hydrogen bond exchange is reached and hydrogen-bonded complexes can be characterized in detail. With 2'-deoxyadenosine lacking a 2'-substituent, N-Boc-protected aspartic acid benzyl ester binds through its carboxylic acid side chain to the Watson-Crick site of the adenine base, forming a strong hydrogen bond with the proton located close to the center between the oxygen donor and adenine N1 nitrogen acceptor. However, in the case of 2'-O-silylated adenine ribofuranosides, noncovalent interactions of the 2'-substituent with protecting groups on the amino acid shift the binding mode toward a Hoogsteen geometry with only a moderately strong hydrogen bond involving adenine N7.