Imploded bilirubins: synthesis and properties of 10-nor-mesobilirubin-XIIIα and analogs

Abstract

Six 10-nor-bilirubin analogs have been synthesized and investigated. Lacking the C(10) CH2 group, these linear tetrapyrroles have a bipyrrole core rather than a dipyrrylmethane core and thus a different shape. Whereas the propionic acid groups of bilirubin are well engaged in intramolecular hydrogen bonding to the dipyrrinones, molecular modeling studies of the 10-nor-rubins predict that propionic acid chains are too short to engage the CO2H hydrogen fully in intramolecular hydrogen bonding with the dipyrrinones. Butyric acid chains, however, can and do lead to a stabilized conformation with a bipyrrole dihedral angle of approximately 115°. Spectroscopic studies verify the predictions and vapor pressure osmometry indicates that the 10-nor-rubins with butyric acids are monomeric in CHCl3.