Quantifying macrocyclization-induced strain utilizing N-phenylimides as conformational reporters

Abstract

Incorporating an N-phenylimide unit into macrocycles enabled measurements of macrocyclization strains by comparing the N-phenylimide's conformational changes to similar units attached to a linear-chain control. Systems of larger macrocycles displayed negligible macrocyclization strain, while smaller macrocycles demonstrated proportionate effects, emphasizing the use of N-phenylimides as conformational reporters of macrocyclization strain.