Synthesis of a charged receptor with a bis-phenolic ether scaffold and its binding studies with Phosphatidylglycerol, a bacterial membrane lipid

Abstract

An ongoing project in our research group is the development of synthetic receptors for the head group of Phosphatidylglycerol, an anionic phospholipid found in bacterial membranes, as a component part of new antimicrobials. Previous studies with these types if bis-phenolic oxygen linked scaffoldings having neutral binding sites showed relatively weak binding to the Phosphatidylglycerol (PG) anion. Here we discuss the synthesis leading to: 1. the expansion of the binding pocket, 2. the incorporation of positively charged binding sites and 3. determination of the lipid binding ability of the receptor.