| Abstract: | The crystal-state molecular structures of five linear Ac3c homo-oligopeptides to the tetramer were determined by x-ray diffraction. The oligomers are H-(Ac3c)2-OMe, Fmoc-(Ac3c)2-OMe MeOH, Ac-(Ac3c)2-OMe, pBrBz-(Ac3c)3-OMe · H2O, and t-Boc-(Ac3c)4-OMe · 2H2O. The results indicate the propensity of the tri- and tetrapeptides to fold into type I β-bends and distorted 310-helices, respectively, in partial contrast to Aib, Ac5c, and Ac6c homo-peptides of comparable main-chain length, where regular type III β-bends and 310-helical structures were found. When the influence of the constraints produced by the intramolecular H bonds of the C10-type is absent, other less common structural features may be observed. The average geometry of the cyclopropyl group of the Ac3c residue is found to be asymmetric and the N? Cα? C′ bond angle significantly expanded from the regular tetrahedral value. |
