Highly amphiphilic fragments of hydrolytically stable 3′‐peptidyl transfer RNA analogues are stepwise assembled on solid support. Their secondary structure and thermal denaturation are studied by using CD and UV spectroscopy, their supramolecular assemblage by using AFM and DLS (see picture).

3'-aminoacylamino-3'-deoxyadenosines, analogues of the antibiotic puromycin, have been synthesized from adenosine. They key 3'-azido derivative 10 was obtained through a 3'-oxidation/reduction/substitution procedure. A modified purification protocol on a larger scale was developed for the oxidation step using the Garegg reagent. The coupling reaction between an Fmoc-l-amino acid and the fully protected form of 3'-amino-3'-deoxyadenosine 11 furnished the aminoacylated compounds 12 in high yields. The puromycin analogues were obtained in 10 steps and up to 23% (14c) overall yield.

Amphiphile Fragmente hydrolysebeständiger 3′‐Peptidyl‐Transfer‐RNA‐Analoga werden schrittweise an einer Festphase aufgebaut. Die Sekundärstruktur der Verbindungen sowie ihre thermische Denaturierung können CD‐ und UV‐spektroskopisch, ihr supramolekularer Zusammenhalt durch AFM und Lichtstreuung beobachtet werden.

[reaction: see text] An efficient procedure for the immobilization of 3'-deoxy-3'-(O-methyltyrosyl)aminoadenosine was developed. A poly(ethylene glycol)-derived diacid linker/spacer was attached to aminomethyl polystyrene. Coupling of the 2'-hydroxy instead of the 2'-O-succinylated ribonucleoside resulted in high immobilization yields (over 80%) and allowed for the recovery of valuable unreacted material. This specific procedure should be applicable to other ribonucleosides containing a bulky modification at the 3'-position and can be used for the stepwise construction of 3'-aminoacyl- or 3'-peptidyl-RNA conjugates.

3'-(α-L-Aminoacylamido)deoxyadenosines are ribosomal A-site binders and mimic the nascent peptide accepting 3'-terminus of aminoacyl transfer RNA. Their α-amino groups exhibit intrinsic basicities in bulk water that differ by up to 1.8 pK(a) units. Only the neutral form of these nucleophiles can be active during ribosomal peptidyl transfer catalysis.