α-Helix-mediated protein–protein interactions (PPIs) are important targets for small-molecule inhibition; however, generic approaches to inhibitor design are in their infancy and would benefit from QSAR analyses to rationalise the noncovalent basis of molecular recognition by designed ligands. Using a helix mimetic based on an oligoamide scaffold, we have exploited the power of a modular synthesis to access compounds that can readily be used to understand the noncovalent determinants of hDM2 recognition by this series of cell-active p53/hDM2 inhibitors.

This is the first of a two-part Editorial by the Guest Editors of the ChemBioChem and ChemMedChem joint Special Issue on Protein–Protein Interactions. Part 2 can be accessed via http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/cmdc.201600158; the complete issue can be viewed here: bit.ly/cbcVIppi.

As a class of materials, supramolecular polymers represent an exciting area of advanced materials research. The combination of unique properties, easy synthesis and response to the environment or external and temporal stimuli makes them important as a focus for the next generation of materials. Understanding and manipulating the non-covalent interactions leading to polymer assembly allows control over properties by selecting specific building blocks with well-understood non-covalent chemistry from an established toolkit. This allows assembly of defined and easily manipulated architectures, where physical characteristics similar to conventional high-molecular-weight polymers can be realized. Herein, we describe recent studies of the self-assembly of polyurethane-based supramolecular materials. © 2014 Society of Chemical Industry

This paper describes the design, synthesis and structural analysis of a 3-O-alkylated aromatic oligoamide that incorporates an additional hydrophilic 6-O-alkyl substituent in the central monomer. This oligomer exhibits low μM inhibitory potency against the p53–hDM2 interaction compared with its unfunctionalised counterpart and significantly improved solubility.

Linear arrays of hydrogen bonds are useful for the reversible assembly of “stimuli-responsive” supramolecular materials. There is thus an ongoing requirement for easy-to-synthesise motifs that are capable of presenting hydrogen-bonding functionality in a predictable manner, such that high-affinity and high-fidelity recognition occurs. The design of linear arrays is made challenging as a consequence of their ability to adopt multiple conformational and tautomeric configurations; with each additional hydrogen-bonding heteroatom added to an array, the available tautomeric and conformational space increases and it can be difficult to anticipate where unproductive conformers/tautomers will arise. This paper describes a detailed study on the complementary ureidoimidazole donor–donor–acceptor (DDA) array (1) and amidoisocytosine donor–acceptor–acceptor (DAA) array (2). A specific feature of 1 is that two degenerate, intramolecular hydrogen-bonded conformations are postulated, both of which present a DDA array that is complementary to appropriate DAA partners. 1D and 2D ¹H NMR spectroscopy, isothermal titration calorimetry, and ab initio structure calculations confirm 1 interacts with 2 (K_a≈33000 M⁻¹ in CDCl₃) in a conformer-independent fashion driven by enthalpy. Comparison of the binding behaviour of 1 with hexylamidocytosine (4) and amidonaphthyridine (5) provides insight on the role that intramolecular hydrogen-bonding plays in mediating affinity towards DAA partners.