Synthesis of a AT base pair model in DNA and determination of hydrogen bonding strength on the formation of base triplet T:AT in CDCl3

Article abstract of DOI:10.1016/S0040-4039(97)10257-X

A molecular model has been synthesized to determine the hydrogen- bonding strength between AT and T in the base triplet, T:AT. A strong preference (>95%) of Watson-Crick mode along with 91% hydrogen-bonded conformation is observed in the model compound. The association constants of the AT model with 1-propyluracil and glutarimide are 15 M^-1 and 5.2 M^-1, respectively, in CDCl₃ at 296 ± 0.5 K. Negative cooperativity by pre- existing hydrogen bonds might be involved in the intermolecular binding events.