An Artificial Guanine that Binds Cytidine through the Cooperative Interaction of Metal Coordination and Hydrogen Bonding

Cd(II) complex of L binds selectively to cytidine in DMSO with an equilibrium constant of 117 M-1 (where LH is 2-aminomethyl-8- hydroxyquinoline). In contrast, the Zn(II) complex of L does not bind appreciably to any of the four nucleobases under the same condition used for the Cd(II) complex.