Triaminopyrimidine derivatives as transmembrane HCl transporters

Small synthetic molecules capable of inducing transmembrane anion transport have received a lot of attention as potential anti-cancer agents due to their ability to interfere with intracellular pH homeostasis. A series of triaminopyrimidine-based anion transporters have been synthesised, and they are found to diminish proton gradients across lipid bilayers at physiologically relevant pH. The compounds have pKa values (≈7.2) that allow protonation/deprotonation processes coupled with anion binding/unbinding events in physiologically relevant conditions. Synthetic vesicle transport experiments as well as solid state structures indicate synergistic binding of HCl. Cell assays show that the transporters induce apoptosis in various cancerous cell lines.