Nanohoop compounds for use in biotechnology and methods of making and using the same

1. A nanohoop compound having a structure satisfying a formula

wherein

each of rings A, A′, B and B′ independently is a phenyl ring or a heteroaryl ring selected from pyridinyl, benzo[1,2-b:4,5-b′]dithiophenyl, benzo[1,2-b:4,5-b′]difuranyl, 4,4-dimethyl-4H-cyclopenta[2,1-b:3,4-b′]dithiophene, 1,5-dihydropyrrolo[2,3-f]indolyl, benzo[c][1,2,5]thiadiazolyl, benzo[c][1,2,5]oxadiazolyl, or 2H-benzo[d][1,2,3]triazolyl;

m is an integer selected from 1 to 10;

each R independently is linker-Z or Z, wherein the linker comprises an aliphatic group, a heteroaliphatic group, or any combination thereof; and

Z comprises an anionic solubilizing group, a peptide, an oligonucleotide, a nucleoside, a nucleotide, a protein, an aptamer, a drug, a cell, an antibody, an amino acid, a lipid, a carbohydrate, a liposome, a cyclodextrin, a porphyrin, a quenching moiety, or, (i) a functional group that facilitates coupling of the nanohoop compound with an anionic solubilizing group, a peptide, an oligonucleotide, a nucleoside, a nucleotide, a protein, an aptamer, a drug, a quenching moiety, a cell, an antibody, an amino acid, a lipid, a carbohydrate, a liposome, a cyclodextrin, or a porphyrin when R is linker-Z, or (ii) a functional group selected from

amine, aminooxy, triazole, azide, an NHS ester, or combinations thereof, when R is Z;

each Q independently is linker-Z or Z, wherein

the linker comprises an aliphatic group, a heteroaliphatic group, or any combination thereof; and

Z comprises an anionic solubilizing group, a peptide, an oligonucleotide, a nucleoside, a nucleotide, a protein, an aptamer, a drug, a cell, an antibody, an amino acid, a lipid, a carbohydrate, a liposome, a cyclodextrin, a porphyrin, an electron-donating group, an electron withdrawing group, a quenching moiety, or a functional group that facilitates coupling of the nanohoop compound with an anionic solubilizing group, a peptide, an oligonucleotide, a nucleoside, a nucleotide, a protein, an aptamer, a drug, a quenching moiety, a cell, an antibody, an amino acid, a lipid, a carbohydrate, a liposome, a cyclodextrin, or a porphyrin;

each of r′, r and n independently is an integer selected from 0 to 24;

each of s and t, when present, independently is an integer selected from 0 to 10; and

p is an integer selected from 1 to 12;

wherein R and Q are the same or different; and

provided that when each of r, r′, and n is 0, then p is at least 5; and

provided that when p is 1, then at least one of r, r′, or n is 4 or r, r′, or n independently are integers that when taken together add up to 4.

2. The nanohoop compound of claim 1 , wherein the compound has a structure satisfying any one or more of the following formulas:

wherein

each of a, b, c, and d, independently is selected from C or N;

at least one of R or Q independently comprises an anionic group;

m is an integer selected from 1 to 4;

m′ is an integer selected from 0 to 10;

each of n, r and r′ independently is an integer selected from 0 to 5;

each of s and t, when present, independently is an integer selected from 0 to 4; and

p is an integer selected from 1 to 5.

3. The nanohoop compound of claim 1 , wherein:

(i) the drug is selected from aspartame, captopril, enalapril, octreotide, desmopressin, or combinations thereof;

(ii) the peptide is a cell-penetrating peptide, an oligopeptide, a peptidic drug, an antibody, a protein, or combinations thereof;

(iii) the functional group that facilitates coupling of the nanohoop compound with the anionic solubilizing group, the peptide, the oligonucleotide, the nucleoside, the nucleotide, the protein, the aptamer, the drug, the quenching moiety, the cell, the antibody, the amino acid, the lipid, the carbohydrate, the liposome, the cyclodextrin, or the porphyrin comprises an amine, a carboxylic acid, a hydroxyl, an alkyne, an azide, a thiol, an aldehyde, an aminooxy, a triazole, or combinations thereof;

(iv) the nucleotide or nucleoside comprises an aptamer; an L-form oligonucleotide; a slow off-rate modified aptamer; a threose nucleic acid (TNA) aptamer; a xeno-nucleic acid (XNA) aptamer; a locked nucleic acid (LNA) aptamer; a catalytic aptamer; a phosphorodithioate; an inverted nucleic acid; a 2′-fluoro-, 2′-methoxy-, or 2′-amino-modified nucleotide or nucleoside; a nucleotide or nucleotide with a modified base; a primer; an oligonucleoside or oligonucleotide; or combinations thereof;

(v) the anionic solubilizing group is selected from a carboxylate, a phosphonate, a sulfonate, or a deprotonated hydroxyl group or thiol group; and/or

(vi) the amino acid comprises a proteinogenic amino acid, an unnatural amino acid, a non-proteinogenic amino acid, a homo amino acid, an N-methyl amino acid, an alpha-methyl amino acid, a beta amino acid, a delta amino acid, a gamma amino acid, a D-amino acid, an L-amino acid, a thio amino acid, a seleno amino acid, an amino sulfonic acid, or combinations thereof.

4. The nanohoop compound of claim 1 , wherein

R is linker-Z, wherein

the linker is C 1-6 aliphatic or -(L a -X-L b ) v -, wherein each of L a and L b independently is C 1-6 aliphatic; X is O or S; and v is an integer selected from 1 to 5; and

Z is a functional group that facilitates coupling of the nanohoop and comprises a triazine, —OH, an azide, a carboxyl group, SO 3 H or a salt thereof;

each of n, r, and r′ is 1;

each of s and t is 0; and

p is 2.

5. The nanohoop compound of claim 1 , wherein

each of the rings A, A′, B and B′ is phenyl;

m, n, and t are each 1;

R is Z, wherein Z comprises an amino group;

Q comprises a carboxyl group;

r and r′ are each independently 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5;

s is 0; and

p is 1, 2 or 3.

6. The nanohoop compound of claim 1 , wherein

each of the rings A, A′, B, and B′ is phenyl;

m is 1;

each of n, r, and r′ independently is 1, 2, 3, or 4;

R is Z, wherein Z is

each of s and t is 0; and

p is 1, 2, or 3.

7. The nanohoop compound of claim 1 , wherein the compound is selected from:

8. A nanohoop compound having a structure satisfying Formula I

wherein

each of rings A, A′, B and B′ independently is a phenyl ring or a heteroaryl ring selected from pyridinyl, benzo[1,2-b:4,5-b′]dithiophenyl, benzo[1,2-b:4,5-b′]difuranyl, 4,4-dimethyl-4H-cyclopenta[2,1-b:3,4-b′]dithiophene, 1,5-dihydropyrrolo[2,3-f]indolyl, benzo[c][1,2,5]thiadiazolyl, benzo[c][1,2,5]oxadiazolyl, or 2H-benzo[d][1,2,3]triazolyl;

m is zero and at least one ring A is attached to two other rings of the nanohoop compound by bonds that are meta-substituted relative to one another and wherein the nanohoop compound comprises at least one A, A′, B, or B′ ring that is attached to two other rings of the nanohoop compound by bonds that are para-substituted relative to one another;

each Q independently is linker-Z or Z, wherein

the linker comprises an aliphatic group, a heteroaliphatic group, or any combination thereof; and

Z comprises a solubilizing group, a peptide, an oligonucleotide, a nucleoside, a nucleotide, a protein, an aptamer, a drug, a cell, an antibody, an amino acid, a lipid, a carbohydrate, a liposome, a cyclodextrin, a porphyrin, an electron-donating group, an electron withdrawing group, a quenching moiety, or a functional group that facilitates coupling of the nanohoop compound with a solubilizing group, a peptide, an oligonucleotide, a nucleoside, a nucleotide, a protein, an aptamer, a drug, a quenching moiety, a cell, an antibody, an amino acid, a lipid, a carbohydrate, a liposome, a cyclodextrin, or a porphyrin;

each of r′, r and n independently is an integer selected from 0 to 24;

each of s and t, when present, independently is an integer selected from 0 to 10; and

p is an integer selected from 1 to 12;

provided that when each of r, r′, and n is 0, then p is at least 5; and

provided that when p is 1, then at least one of r, r′, or n is 4 or r, r′, or n independently are integers that when taken together add up to 4.

9. The nanohoop compound of claim 8 having a structure satisfying Formula IIP

wherein n is an integer ranging from 2 to 9.

10. The nanohoop compound of claim 8 , selected from:

11. A method of making a nanohoop conjugate, comprising covalently coupling a biological moiety to a nanohoop compound having structure satisfying Formula I through one or more functional groups of the nanohoop compound

wherein

each of rings A, A′, B and B′ independently is a phenyl ring or a heteroaryl ring selected from pyridinyl, benzo[1,2-b:4,5-b′]dithiophenyl, benzo[1,2-b:4,5-b′]difuranyl, 4,4-dimethyl-4H-cyclopenta[2,1-b:3,4-b′]dithiophene, 1,5-dihydropyrrolo[2,3-f]indolyl, benzo[c][1,2,5]thiadiazolyl, benzo[c][1,2,5]oxadiazolyl, or 2H-benzo[d][1,2,3]triazolyl;

m is an integer selected from 1 to 10;

each R independently is linker-Z or Z, wherein

the linker comprises an aliphatic group, a heteroaliphatic group, or any combination thereof; and

Z comprises aa functional group that facilitates coupling of the nanohoop compound with an anionic solubilizing group, a peptide, an oligonucleotide, a nucleoside, a nucleotide, a protein, an aptamer, a drug, a quenching moiety, a cell, an antibody, an amino acid, a lipid, a carbohydrate, a liposome, a cyclodextrin, or a porphyrin when R is linker-Z; or (ii) a functional group selected from

amine, aminooxy, triazole, azide, an NHS ester, or combinations thereof, when R is Z;

each Q independently is linker-Z′ or Z′, wherein

the linker comprises an aliphatic group, a heteroaliphatic group, or any combination thereof; and

Z′ is an anionic solubilizing group, a peptide, an oligonucleotide, a nucleoside, a nucleotide, a protein, an aptamer, a drug, a cell, an antibody, an amino acid, a lipid, a carbohydrate, a liposome, a cyclodextrin, a porphyrin, an electron-donating group, an electron withdrawing group, or a quenching moiety;

each of r′, r and n independently is an integer selected from 0 to 24;

each of s and t, when present, independently is an integer selected from 0 to 10; and

p is an integer selected from 1 to 12;

provided that when each of r, r′, and n is 0, then p is at least 5; and

provided that when p is 1, then at least one of r, r′, or n is 4 or r, r′, or n independently are integers that when taken together add up to 4.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the biological moiety is selected from a peptide, an oligonucleotide, a nucleoside, a drug, a cell, an antibody, an amino acid, a lipid, a carbohydrate, a liposome, a cyclodextrin, and a porphyrin and wherein the biological moiety is coupled to an amine group of the nanohoop compound, or to a carboxylic acid group of the nanohoop compound.

13. A polymeric nanohoop compound comprising a first nanohoop monomer and a second nanohoop monomer, wherein the first nanohoop monomer is directly and covalently coupled to the second nanohoop monomer or wherein the first nanohoop monomer is indirectly coupled to the second nanohoop monomer through a covalently coupled linker group; wherein the first nanohoop monomer and the second nanohoop monomer independently have a structure satisfying Formula I of claim 1 .

14. The polymeric nanohoop compound of claim 13 , wherein the covalently coupled linker group is selected from an aliphatic, heteroaliphatic, aryl, or heteroaryl group, or combinations thereof.

15. The polymeric nanohoop compound of claim 13 , wherein the compound has a structure satisfying any one or more of the following formulas

at least one of R or Q independently comprises the anionic solubilizing group;

each of n, r and r′ independently is an integer selected from 0 to 4;

m is an integer selected from 1 to 4;

p is an integer selected from 1 to 5; and

y is an integer selected from 1 to 5.

16. The polymeric nanohoop compound of claim 13 , wherein

the linker of Formula I is -(L a -X-L b ) v -, and each of L a and L b independently is aliphatic;

X is NR a , O or S;

R a is hydrogen or aliphatic; and

v is an integer selected from 1 to 50.

17. The polymeric nanohoop compound of claim 16 , wherein

L a and L b are each independently C 1-6 aliphatic;

X is O or S; and

v is selected from 1 to 5.

18. The polymeric nanohoop compound of claim 13 , wherein the fluorescence of the first nanohoop monomer does not quench the fluorescence of the second nanohoop monomer.

19. The polymeric nanohoop compound of claim 13 , having a structure of Formula VIA:

wherein G is a bond or phenyl.

20. A method, comprising:

exposing a biological sample to a nanohoop compound of claim 1 or a composition thereof, wherein R is linker-Z or Z and wherein Z is the anionic solubilizing group, the peptide, the oligonucleotide, the nucleoside, the nucleotide, the protein, the aptamer, the drug, the cell, the antibody, the amino acid, the lipid, the carbohydrate, the liposome, the cyclodextrin, the porphyrin, or the quenching moiety; and

analyzing the biological sample using UV-Vis and/or fluorescence spectrometry to detect

(i) the presence of fluorescence upon delivery of the nanohoop compound to a region of the sample and cleavage of the anionic solubilizing group, the peptide, the oligonucleotide, the nucleoside, the nucleotide, the protein, the aptamer, the drug, the cell, the antibody, the amino acid, the lipid, the carbohydrate, the liposome, the cyclodextrin, the porphyrin, or the quenching moiety from the nanohoop compound, or

(ii) the quenching of fluorescence upon delivery of the nanohoop compound to a region of the sample and cleavage of the anionic solubilizing group, the peptide, the oligonucleotide, the nucleoside, the nucleotide, the protein, the aptamer, the drug, the cell, the antibody, the amino acid, the lipid, the carbohydrate, the liposome, the cyclodextrin, the porphyrin, or the quenching moiety from the nanohoop compound.

21. A nanohoop compound having a structure satisfying a formula

wherein

each of rings A, A′, B and B′ independently is a phenyl ring or a heteroaryl ring selected from pyridinyl, benzo[1,2-b:4,5-b′]dithiophenyl, benzo[1,2-b:4,5-b′]difuranyl, 4,4-dimethyl-4H-cyclopenta[2,1-b:3,4-b′]dithiophene, 1,5-dihydropyrrolo[2,3-f]indolyl, benzo[c][1,2,5]thiadiazolyl, benzo[c][1,2,5]oxadiazolyl, or 2H-benzo[d][1,2,3]triazolyl;

m is an integer selected from 1 to 10;

each R independently is (i) a triazole moiety, (ii) an aliphatic moiety, (iii) a -(L a -X-L b ) v - moiety wherein each of L a and L b independently is aliphatic, X is a heteroatom, and v is an integer selected from 1 to 50, or any combination of (i), (ii), and/or (iii); and wherein (i), (ii), (iii), or the combination thereof is bound to Z wherein each Z independently comprises an anionic solubilizing group; a peptide; an oligonucleotide; a nucleoside; a nucleotide; a protein; an aptamer; a drug; a cell; an antibody; an amino acid; a lipid; a carbohydrate; a liposome; a cyclodextrin; a porphyrin; a quenching moiety; or a functional group that facilitates coupling of the nanohoop compound with an anionic solubilizing group, a peptide, an oligonucleotide, a nucleoside, a nucleotide, a protein, an aptamer, a drug, a quenching moiety, a cell, an antibody, an amino acid, a lipid, a carbohydrate, a liposome, a cyclodextrin, or a porphyrin; or each R independently is Z, wherein each Z independently comprises an anionic solubilizing group; a peptide; an oligonucleotide; a nucleoside; a nucleotide; a protein; an aptamer; a drug; a cell; an antibody; an amino acid; a lipid; a carbohydrate; a liposome; a cyclodextrin; a porphyrin; a quenching moiety; or a functional group selected from

amine, aminooxy, triazole, azide, an NHS ester, or combinations thereof;

each Q independently is linker-Z or Z, wherein the linker comprises an aliphatic group, a heteroaliphatic group, or any combination thereof;

each of r′, r and n independently is an integer selected from 0 to 24;

each of s and t, when present, independently is an integer selected from 0 to 10; and

p is an integer selected from 1 to 12; and

provided that when each of r, r′, and n is 0, then p is at least 5; and

provided that when p is 1, then at least one of r, r′, or n is 4 or r, r′, or n independently are integers that when taken together add up to 4.