Nucleobase recognition by artificial receptors possessing a ferrocene skeleton as a novel modular unit for hydrogen bonding and stacking interactions

Research was conducted to examine novel ferrocene-modified hydrogen-bonding structures as rationally designed new artificial nucleobase receptors. For the hydrogen-bonding moiety, diamidopyridine was used while several polynuclear aromatics were chosen for pi-stacking one. Results indicate the dependence of the binding affinity of the receptors to 1-butylthymine on the aromatic structures. The value of the pivot character of the ferrocene for construction of the intermolecular interaction site was also clarified.