AbstractThe design of peptides that display a β‐sheet‐like secondary structure remains a challenge. Molecular scaffolds, such as ferrocene (Fc) can help to overcome some of these challenges. Monosubstituted Fc derivatives offer no control over the self‐assembly of the conjugates, and the formation of supramolecular structures is entirely serendipitous. 1,n′‐disubstituted Fc derivatives provide a significant level of control over the direction of the peptide, their relative orientation, and the intramolecular hydrogen‐bonding patterns, which increases the rigidity of the molecule and in many cases, generates a new H‐bonding interface for intermolecular assembly. In this Microreview, we explore the use of ferrocene as a scaffold in the design of structurally well‐defined peptide conjugates. (© Wiley‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2009)
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