Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: Chiral subcomponent self-assembly is used to access optically pure, metallo-helical species based on Zn and Fe(II) and incorporating three transazobenzene units. UV-vis, circular dichroism, and NMR spectroscopies, alongside X-ray crystallographic and DFT computational studies are used to unambiguously characterize a highly reversible stepwise photochemical transformation to an all-cis state in which structural integrity and optical purity have been retained. Although the all-trans state of the water-soluble enantiomers exhibited low or moderate activity against Gram-positive strains, irradiation at 365 nm led to up to eight-fold reduction in MIC. Electron microscopy and a cell permeability assay indicate a membrane disruption mechanism; the higher activity of the photochemically-generated all-cis state is consistent with its more compact supramolecular fold.
Authors: Changhao Liu, Mi Li, Xinyu Wang, Guoqing Li, Xue Zhao, Xuebin Wang, Siying Qin, Xuejian Zhang, Nicola J. Rogers, Xin Zhang, Qianshuo Dong, Guy J. Clarkson, Yuji Wang, Xinyi Yang, Peter Scott, Rubing Wang, Hualong Song
Institutions: Capital Medical University, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Nankai University, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, State Key Laboratory of Elemental Organic Chemistry, Hong Kong Baptist University, University of Warwick
Language: English
Subfield: Organic Chemistry
Field: Chemistry
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W4410745958