Volume 54, Issue 11 pp. 3290-3327
Review

Molecular Recognition in Chemical and Biological Systems

Dipl.-Chem. Elke Persch

Dipl.-Chem. Elke Persch

Laboratorium für Organische Chemie, Departement Chemie und Angewandte Biowissenschaften, ETH Zürich, Vladimir-Prelog-Weg 3, 8093 Zürich (Switzerland)

These authors contributed equally to this Review, their sequence was determined by the flip of a coin.

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Dipl.-Chem. Oliver Dumele

Dipl.-Chem. Oliver Dumele

Laboratorium für Organische Chemie, Departement Chemie und Angewandte Biowissenschaften, ETH Zürich, Vladimir-Prelog-Weg 3, 8093 Zürich (Switzerland)

These authors contributed equally to this Review, their sequence was determined by the flip of a coin.

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Prof. Dr. François Diederich

Corresponding Author

Prof. Dr. François Diederich

Laboratorium für Organische Chemie, Departement Chemie und Angewandte Biowissenschaften, ETH Zürich, Vladimir-Prelog-Weg 3, 8093 Zürich (Switzerland)

Laboratorium für Organische Chemie, Departement Chemie und Angewandte Biowissenschaften, ETH Zürich, Vladimir-Prelog-Weg 3, 8093 Zürich (Switzerland)Search for more papers by this author
First published: 28 January 2015
Citations: 557

Graphical Abstract

Both are required: Chemical model systems and the study of biological receptors are both required to understand molecular recognition processes. The identification and quantification of noncovalent interactions and deciphering the role of water are key elements for structure-based drug design. Several case studies are presented in which weak intermolecular interactions were applied to innovative ligand design and optimization.

Abstract

Structure-based ligand design in medicinal chemistry and crop protection relies on the identification and quantification of weak noncovalent interactions and understanding the role of water. Small-molecule and protein structural database searches are important tools to retrieve existing knowledge. Thermodynamic profiling, combined with X-ray structural and computational studies, is the key to elucidate the energetics of the replacement of water by ligands. Biological receptor sites vary greatly in shape, conformational dynamics, and polarity, and require different ligand-design strategies, as shown for various case studies. Interactions between dipoles have become a central theme of molecular recognition. Orthogonal interactions, halogen bonding, and amide⋅⋅⋅π stacking provide new tools for innovative lead optimization. The combination of synthetic models and biological complexation studies is required to gather reliable information on weak noncovalent interactions and the role of water.

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