Bicyclic and tricyclic C-C mismatch-binding ligands bind to CCG trinucleotide repeat DNAs.

We have reported bicyclic and tricyclic C-C mismatch-binding ligands that selectively bind to CCG trinucleotide repeat (TNR) DNAs. Bivalent interaction and enlarging the aromatic ring system of the cytosine-recognition unit led to the ligand binding to CCG TNRs accompanied by the formation of stable ligand-CCG TNR complexes and a large conformational change.