¹H and ¹³C nuclear magnetic resonance studies on X-537A (lasalocid-A)-calcium complexes: observation of a sandwich complex

Abstract

Studies on the conformational and binding characteristics of the ionophoric antibiotic X-537A (lasalocid-A)-calcium ion complexes have been carried out in deuteriated acetonitrile (CD₃ CN) using proton and carbon-13 nuclear magnetic resonance (¹ H and ¹³C n.m.r.) spectroscopy. Detailed analysis of the salt-induced chemical shifts at various X-537A to calcium concentration ratios indicated that X-537A forms charged complexes with calcium with 2 : 1 and 1 : 1 stoicheiometries. The conformational model for the complex based on the n.m.r. data showed that the calcium ion is preferentially bound to one end of the molecule, which is binding to three oxygen atoms, the other end (the salicylic acid part) being relatively free. In the 2 : 1 (sandwich) complex, the calcium ion is sandwiched between two X-537A molecules with three oxygen atoms binding to it from each molecule.