CAREER: Studies of Pi-Pi Stacking Interactions in Small Molecules and Beta-Turn Peptides

有机和大分子化学项目通过该职业奖支持北卡罗来纳大学教堂山分校化学系Marcey waters博士的工作。这项工作包括一系列的研究，以更好地了解pi-pi堆叠相互作用在DNA和蛋白质大分子识别中的作用。她将使用核磁共振线宽分析来测量双芳基键周围的旋转速率常数，并将使用核磁共振NOESY测量来确定β -片形成的程度，并评估两链β肽中的pi-pi堆叠相互作用。这些系统将探讨电子效应、溶剂、表面积和杂原子在芳香环中的作用。本提案的研究和教学目标是通过物理有机化学研究，特别是使用核磁共振方法来了解生物结构和反应性。生物系统和非生物有机分子之间的关系将在研究生和本科阶段强调，包括大二有机化学实验室的实验。

With this CAREER award the Organic and Macromolecular Chemistry Program supports the work of Dr. Marcey waters in the Department of Chemistry at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The work consists of a series of studies to better understand the role of pi-pi stacking interactions in macromolecular recognition in both DNA and proteins. She will measure the rate constants of rotation around biaryl bonds using NMR line-width analysis, and will also use NMR NOESY measurements to determine the extent of beta-sheet formation and assess pi-pi stacking interactions in a two stranded beta-peptide. These systems will probe the roles of electronic effects, solvent, surface area, and heteroatoms in the aromatic rings.The research and teaching goals of this proposal are to understand biological structure and reactivity through physical organic chemistry studies, particularly using nuclear magnetic resonance methods. The relationship between biological systems and nonbiological organic molecules will be emphasized at both graduate and undergraduate levels, including experiments in sophomore organic chemistry laboratory.