Design and Synthesis of Oligoamide-Based Double -Helix Mimetics

An extensive series of bis-oligobenzamides and bis-oligopyridylamides have been efficiently prepared and studied by X-ray analysis and computational methods. A modular synthesis led to double -helix mimics bearing between two and ten branched side-chains. The inter-helix angle and distance can be tuned by varying the length and rigidity of the spacer, thereby reproducing the recognition domains of a range of super-secondary structures.