α,β-Hybrid oligomers of varying lengths with alternating proteogenic α-amino acid and the rigid β(2,3,3) -trisubstituted bicyclic amino acid ABOC residues were studied using both X-ray crystal and NMR solution structures. While only an 11/9 helix was obtained in the solid state regardless of the length of the oligomers, conformational polymorphism as a chain-length-dependent phenomenon was observed in solution. Consistent with DFT calculations, we established that short oligomers adopted an 11/9 helix, whereas an 18/16 helix was favored for longer oligomers in solution. A rapid interconversion between the 11/9 helix and the 18/16 helix occurred for oligomers of intermediate length.

Diaminobicyclo[2.2.2]octane was used as starting material for the preparation, in solution or in a ball-mill, of a salen ligand. Five metal salen complexes were prepared in high yield and their cytotoxic activities were evaluated against HCT116 cell lines. Original manganese salen complex displayed the highest activity with a potency 16 fold higher than the one of cisplatin, demonstrating the benefit of the bridging backbone, compared to other salen systems. An alternative preparation route for this complex by mechanochemistry was also performed. File list (2) download file view on ChemRxiv MetalSalenChemRxiv.pdf (403.58 KiB) download file view on ChemRxiv MetalSalenChemRxivSI.pdf (0.94 MiB) Synthesis, characterisation and cytotoxic activity evaluation of new metalsalen complexes based on the 1,2-bicyclo[2.2.2]octane bridge