The
ability of the biopolymers RNA and DNA to store and transfer
information is essential to life. Herein, we demonstrate template-directed
replication in a set of dimer duplexes that use reversible covalent
bonds to form base-pairing interactions. Binary sequence information
was encoded as a sequence of aniline and benzaldehyde subunits linked
together by a diethynyl benzene backbone. These dimers formed sequence-specific,
imine-linked duplexes, which could be separated and used as templates
for the synthesis of daughter duplexes with identical sequences.
Genetic biopolymers utilize defined sequences and monomer-specific molecular recognition to store and transfer information. Synthetic polymers that mimic these attributes using reversible covalent chemistry for base-pairing pose unique synthetic challenges. Here, we describe a solid-phase synthesis methodology for the efficient construction of ethynyl benzene oligomers with specific sequences of aniline and benzaldehyde subunits. Handling these oligomers is complicated by the fact that they often exhibit multiple conformations because of intra-or intermolecular pairing. We describe conditions that allow the dynamic behavior of these oligomers to be controlled so that they may be manipulated and characterized without needing to mask the recognition units with protecting groups.
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