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Published on: September 21, 2017
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Templated Polymerization of Nucleobase Complexes via Molecular Recognition
Mu Wang1, Fuke Chu2, Jingjing Xiao2
1Sinopec Research Institute of Petroleum Engineering, Beijing, 100101, China.
Macromolecular Rapid Communications
|August 25, 2020
Summary
Nucleobase polymers demonstrate selective molecular recognition. Thymine monomers preferentially bind to adenine templates, forming supramolecular complexes via hydrogen bonding, unlike with cytosine templates.
Area of Science:
- Supramolecular Chemistry
- Polymer Science
- Molecular Recognition
Background:
- Macromolecules interact in solution forming supramolecular structures via secondary binding forces.
- Nucleobase-containing polymers can act as templates for molecular recognition.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the molecular recognition capabilities of nucleobase-containing polymer templates.
- To evaluate the selective binding of thymine monomers to adenine and cytosine templates.
Main Methods:
- Synthesis of poly(9-(4-vinylbenzyl)adenine) (PS AH) and poly(1-(4-vinylbenzyl)cytosine) (PS CH) templates using RAFT polymerization.
- Polymerization of vinylbenzyl thymine (MS T) in the presence of PS AH and PS CH templates.
- Analysis of MS T affinity towards different nucleobase templates.
Main Results:
- MS T exhibited significantly higher affinity for the PS AH template compared to the PS CH template.
- This selective binding aligns with the Watson-Crick pairing principle, where thymine forms hydrogen bonds with adenine.
- Complex formation was observed with the PS AH template, indicating template-directed polymerization.
Conclusions:
- Nucleobase-containing polymers can effectively template the polymerization of complementary monomers.
- The study demonstrates specific molecular recognition between adenine and thymine nucleobases within a polymer system.
- This work highlights the potential for creating complex supramolecular architectures through controlled polymerization.
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