Chalcogen bonding mediates the formation of supramolecular helices of azapeptides in crystals

To explore whether chalcogen bonding was able to drive the formation of supramolecular helices, alanine-based azapeptides containing a beta-turn structure, with a thiophene group, respectively, incorporated in the N- or C-terminus, were employed as helical building blocks. While the former derivative formed a supramolecular M-helix via intermolecular SMIDLINE HORIZONTAL ELLIPSISS chalcogen bonding in crystals, the latter formed P-helix via intermolecular SMIDLINE HORIZONTAL ELLIPSISO chalcogen bonding.

Automated summary

The study found that chalcogen bonding can drive the formation of supramolecular helices, using azapeptides with a thiophene group incorporated in different termini to form M-helix and P-helix structures in crystals.