Molecular Recognition of Thymine and Uracil in Water by an Amino-, Amido-, and Carboxymethyl-functionalized Pyridinophane

A new water soluble 26-membered macrocyclic pyridinophane functionalized by amide and carboxymethyl groups has been synthesized in a single step reaction and characterized by elemental analysis, mass spectrometry (FAB+), UV-vis, fluorescence, and 1H NMR spectroscopy as well as single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. Its complexation properties with the nucleobases thymine and uracil have been explored in aqueous media by performing 1H NMR titration experiments and potentiometric studies. The binding constants of the 1:1 host-guest complexes were determined as 103 M− 1 by proton NMR and 102–103 M− 1 by potentiometry. Semiempirical molecular modelling studies have shown that the nucleobases are included within the cavity of the macrocyclic receptor and that the complexes are stabilized by hydrogen bonding.