Identification of “Structural Pin” Interactions and Their Significance for the Conformational Control of Macrocyclic Scaffolds

Abstract

While peptide macrocycles with rigid conformations have proven to be useful in the design of chemical probes of protein targets, conformational flexibility and rapid interconversion can be equally vital for biological activity and favorable physicochemical properties. This study introduces the concept of “structural pin”, which describes a hydrogen bond that is largely responsible for stabilizing the entire macrocycle backbone conformation. Structural analysis of macrocycles using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), molecular modelling and X‐ray diffraction indicates that disruption of the structural pin can drastically influence the conformation of the entire ring, resulting in novel states with increased flexibility. This finding provides a new tool to interrogate dynamic behaviour of macrocycles. Identification of structural pins offers a potentially useful conceptual framework to understand positions that can either be modified to give flexible structures or retained to maintain the rigidity of the scaffold.