Triazine‐Naphthalimide Cage for the Recognition of Nucleotides and Parallel G‐Quadruplex

The design of artificial receptors that can selectively bind to specific oligonucleotide sequences presents a promising strategy for targeting various genetic diseases. Toward this goal, a cage‐like receptor was designed, combining triazine‐based anion‐binding macrocycles with a naphthalimide dye. The [2 + 2] macrocyclization product was investigated for its ability to bind nucleotides and longer sequences with different topologies. While the affinity of the receptor for nucleotides is moderate, the binding of parallel G‐quadruplexes is achieved with high affinity and a fluorescence enhancement. The receptor demonstrates excellent selectivity for parallel G‐quadruplex over nucleotide triphosphates, other topologies, and a double‐stranded DNA sequence. These findings indicate that triazine‐based receptors hold significant potential for efficient G‐quadruplex recognition.