Description of position DC03

The project aims to develop amino- and imino-based podand and macrocycle receptors for the biomimetic (non-covalent) recognition of biologically relevant carbohydrates. Recent advances in our group have led to synthetic receptors that target glycans and are biologically active in several contexts, from antiviral compounds against enveloped health risk viruses to apoptotic agents against cancer cell lines. The experimental work will be largely represented by the synthesis and characterisation of new synthetic receptors. The project will also include the molecular design of new receptors and the determination of their binding properties using spectroscopic and calorimetric techniques with particular reference to NMR and ITC.
Background literature:
Towards Biomimetic Recognition of Glycans by Synthetic Receptors. ChemPlusChem 2023, e202300598
A Simple Biomimetic Receptor Selectively Recognizing the GlcNAc2 Disaccharide in Water. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2021, 60, 11168 – 11172.
A biomimetic synthetic receptor selectively recognizing fucose in water. Chem. Eur. J. 2018, 24, 6828-6836.