Synthesis and structure of molecular tweezers containing active site functionality

Article abstract of DOI:10.1021/ja00001a027

A series of molecules has been synthesized in which a functional group is buried inside an aromatic binding cleft. These novel compounds, called "molecular tweezers", have a methyl ester (6a, 7-9a, 10a), a carboxylic acid (6b, 9b, 10b, 45), or a nitrile (