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The configuration-dependent self-association mode of the two anomers of O-Ac,N-Fmoc-d-glucosamine, a foldamer building block, leading to gel and/or single crystal formation is described. The β-anomer of the sugar amino acid (2) forms a gel from various solvents (confirmed by SEM, rheology measurements, NMR, and ECD spectroscopy), whereas the α-anomer (1) does not form a gel with any solvent tested. Transition from the solution state to a gel is coupled to a concurrent shift of the Fmoc-groups: from a freely rotating (almost symmetrical) to a specific, asymmetric orientation. Whereas the crystal structure of the α-anomer is built as an evenly packed 3D system, the β-anomer forms a looser superstructure of well-packed 2D layers. Modeling indicates that in the lowest energy, but scarcely sampled conformer of the β-anomer, the Fmoc-group bends above the sugar moiety, stabilized by intramolecular CH↔π interactions between the aromatic rings. It is concluded that possessing an extended and promiscuous interaction surface and a conformationally heterogeneous solution state are among the basic requirements of gel formation for a candidate molecule.

The reactivity of chloro, bromo, and iodo substituents at different positions on the pyridopyrimidinone skeleton in Suzuki—Miyaura cross-coupling reactions is investigated.

The palladium-catalyzed Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling reactions of halo derivatives of 4H-pyrido[1,2-a]pyrimidin-4-one with (het)arylboronic acids allow easy access to (het)aryl and vinyl derivatives of this bicycle in good to excellent yields, even from chloro derivatives. The sequence of reactivity of the halogen in the different positions of the ring system was also investigated. 6-Phenyl-4H-pyrido[1,2-a]pyrimidin-4-one could be prepared by thermal cyclization of isopropylidene (6-phenylpyrid-2-ylamino)methylenemalonate, together with a small amount of 7-phenyl-1,4-dihydro-1,8-naphthyridin-4-one.