IChO 2015 · Theory problem 3

Two binding centers – competition or cooperation?

Many chemical reactions in living organisms include the formation of “host-guest” complexes where the host molecule reversibly binds one or several guest molecules. Consider a host molecule \(\ce{H}\) with two binding centers – say, \(a\) and \(b\) which have different affinities for the guest molecules \(\ce{G}\):

Figure 1

where \(\ce{HG_a}\) and \(\ce{HG_b}\) denote a complex where guest is bound to \(a\) center and \(b\) center, respectively. \(K_a\) and \(K_b\) are the binding constants for the centers \(a\) and \(b\), brackets denote molar concentrations.

Attachment of one \(\ce{G}\) molecule to \(\ce{H}\) can change the binding ability of the second centre. This change is described by the “interaction factor” \(\beta\) which reflects the influence of one binding center on another and is defined as follows:

Figure 2

where \(\ce{HG2}\) is the completely bound complex.

3.1 Determine the range of values (or one value, if necessary) of \(\beta\) which correspond to three possible ways of interaction between binding centers: a) cooperation (binding by one center facilitates subsequent binding); b) competition (first binding complicates the second); c) independence (no interaction).

3.2 Find the equilibrium constant for the process:

Figure 3

in terms of binding constant(s) and interaction factor.

3.3 The solution was prepared with the initial concentrations \([\ce{H}]_0=1\) and \([\ce{G}]_0=2\). After the reactions were completed, the concentration of \(\ce{H}\) decreased by 10 times and that of \(\ce{G}\) by 4 times. For these host and guest, \(K_b=2K_a\). Determine the concentrations of all other species in the solution and find the binding constant \(K_a\) and the factor \(\beta\).

Note: If you could not answer this question, for further calculations use reference values \(K_a=3.14\) and \(\beta=2.72\).

3.4 Find the correct order of standard molar Gibbs energies of formation of host \(\ce{H}\) and all host-guest complexes from \(\ce{H}\) and \(\ce{G}\). In the scheme below, write the corresponding chemical formula near every line.

Figure 4

3.5 Some amount of \(\ce{G}\) was added to 1 mole of \(\ce{H}\) and the mixture was dissolved in water to obtain 1 liter of the solution. The number of the totally bound molecules \(\ce{HG2}\) in the solution is equal to the total number of single-bound molecules \(\ce{HG}\). Find the initial amount of \(\ce{G}\) (in mol). The constants \(K_a\) and \(K_b\) and the factor \(\beta\) are the same as in question 3.3.

3.6 What would be the equilibrium composition of the solution if: a) \(\beta=0\); b) \(\beta\) is very large \((\beta\to\infty)\). The constants \(K_a\) and \(K_b\) as well as the initial concentrations of \(\ce{H}\) and \(\ce{G}\) are the same as in question 2.1.

Official English text of the problem.

Answers

  • 3.1 (a) Cooperation: \(\boxed{\beta>1}\). (b) Competition: \(\boxed{0\leq\beta<1}\), with \(\beta=0\) representing complete exclusion of the second guest. (c) Independence: \(\boxed{\beta=1}\).

  • 3.2 \[ \ce{HG_b + G <=> HG2}, \qquad \boxed{K=\beta K_a}. \]

  • 3.3 \[ \boxed{ [\ce{HG_a}]=0.10,\quad [\ce{HG_b}]=0.20,\quad [\ce{HG2}]=0.60 \quad(\mathrm{mol\,L^{-1}}) } \] \[ \boxed{K_a=2\ \mathrm{L\,mol^{-1}},\quad K_b=4\ \mathrm{L\,mol^{-1}},\quad \beta=3}. \]

  • 3.4 Label the four lines from top to bottom: \[ \boxed{\ce{H},\quad\ce{HG_a},\quad\ce{HG_b},\quad\ce{HG2}}. \]

  • 3.5 \[ \boxed{n_0(\ce{G})=\frac{11}{8}\ \mathrm{mol} =1.375\ \mathrm{mol}\approx1.38\ \mathrm{mol}}. \]

  • 3.6 Interpreting “question 2.1” as question 3.3, the equilibrium concentrations are:

Species (a) \(\beta=0\), \(\mathrm{mol\,L^{-1}}\) (b) \(\beta\to\infty\), \(\mathrm{mol\,L^{-1}}\)
\(\ce{H}\) \(0.1287\) \(0\)
\(\ce{G}\) \(1.1287\) \(0\)
\(\ce{HG_a}\) \(0.2904\) \(0\)
\(\ce{HG_b}\) \(0.5809\) \(0\)
\(\ce{HG2}\) \(0\) \(1\)

Solution

The species are the free host \(\ce{H}\), free guest \(\ce{G}\), singly bound host–guest complexes \(\ce{HG_a}\) and \(\ce{HG_b}\) at sites \(a\) and \(b\), and doubly bound host–guest complex \(\ce{HG2}\). These are abstract molecular labels: the problem supplies no molecular connectivity, so identifying SMILES cannot be assigned.

Write \[ h=[\ce{H}],\qquad g=[\ce{G}],\qquad x=[\ce{HG_a}],\qquad y=[\ce{HG_b}],\qquad z=[\ce{HG2}]. \] The binding equilibria give \[ x=K_a hg,\qquad y=K_b hg, \] and \[ z=\beta K_b xg=\beta K_aK_b hg^2. \] Conservation of host and guest gives \[ \boxed{H_T=h+x+y+z}, \qquad \boxed{G_T=g+x+y+2z}, \] where \(H_T=[\ce{H}]_0\) and \(G_T=[\ce{G}]_0\). The factor \(2\) counts the two guest molecules in each \(\ce{HG2}\).

3.1

For binding at site \(b\), the two relevant reactions are \[ \ce{H + G <=> HG_b}, \qquad K_b, \] and \[ \ce{HG_a + G <=> HG2}, \qquad \beta K_b. \]

Thus \(\beta\) compares the affinity of site \(b\) when site \(a\) is occupied with its affinity when site \(a\) is empty:

  • Cooperation: \(\beta K_b>K_b\), hence \(\beta>1\).
  • Competition: \(\beta K_b<K_b\), hence \(0\leq\beta<1\).
  • Independence: \(\beta K_b=K_b\), hence \(\beta=1\).

Ordinary finite equilibrium constants are positive. The value \(\beta=0\), explicitly considered in 3.6, is the limiting case in which double binding is completely prohibited.

3.2

Both binding sequences lead to the same overall reaction: \[ \ce{H + 2G <=> HG2}. \] Its overall concentration-based equilibrium constant is \[ \frac{z}{hg^2}=K_a(\beta K_b)=\beta K_aK_b. \]

For the requested reaction, \[ \ce{HG_b + G <=> HG2}, \] the equilibrium constant is therefore \[ K=\frac{z}{yg} =\frac{\beta K_aK_b hg^2}{K_b hg^2} =\boxed{\beta K_a}. \] This also shows that the same interaction factor applies whichever site binds first.

3.3

The free equilibrium concentrations are \[ h=\frac{1}{10}=0.10\ \mathrm{mol\,L^{-1}}, \qquad g=\frac{2}{4}=0.50\ \mathrm{mol\,L^{-1}}. \]

The host balance gives \[ x+y+z=1-0.10=0.90\ \mathrm{mol\,L^{-1}}, \] and the guest balance gives \[ x+y+2z=2-0.50=1.50\ \mathrm{mol\,L^{-1}}. \] Subtracting, \[ z=0.60\ \mathrm{mol\,L^{-1}}, \qquad x+y=0.30\ \mathrm{mol\,L^{-1}}. \]

Because \[ \frac{y}{x}=\frac{K_b}{K_a}=2, \] we obtain \[ \boxed{x=0.10\ \mathrm{mol\,L^{-1}}}, \qquad \boxed{y=0.20\ \mathrm{mol\,L^{-1}}}. \]

Consequently, \[ K_a=\frac{x}{hg} =\frac{0.10}{(0.10)(0.50)} =\boxed{2\ \mathrm{L\,mol^{-1}}}, \] and \[ K_b=2K_a=\boxed{4\ \mathrm{L\,mol^{-1}}}. \]

Finally, \[ \beta=\frac{z}{K_bxg} =\frac{0.60}{4(0.10)(0.50)} =\boxed{3}. \] The interaction is therefore cooperative.

3.4

The energies requested are formation energies from the unbound host and guest. Take the unbound host as the zero reference.

For a reaction, \[ \Delta_{\mathrm r}G^\circ=-RT\ln K^\circ. \] Here \(K^\circ\) must be dimensionless. With the standard concentration \[ c^\circ=1\ \mathrm{mol\,L^{-1}}, \] the dimensionless association constants are \(K_ac^\circ=2\), \(K_bc^\circ=4\), and \[ \beta K_aK_b(c^\circ)^2=24. \]

Host species Formation reaction from free host and guest Relative standard formation energy
\(\ce{H}\) Reference state \(0\)
\(\ce{HG_a}\) \(\ce{H + G <=> HG_a}\) \(-RT\ln2\)
\(\ce{HG_b}\) \(\ce{H + G <=> HG_b}\) \(-RT\ln4\)
\(\ce{HG2}\) \(\ce{H + 2G <=> HG2}\) \(-RT\ln24\)

Since \[ 0>-\ln2>-\ln4>-\ln24, \] the order from highest to lowest energy is \[ \boxed{\ce{H}>\ce{HG_a}>\ce{HG_b}>\ce{HG2}}. \]

Accordingly, write \(\ce{H}\) beside the top line, \(\ce{HG_a}\) beside the second, \(\ce{HG_b}\) beside the third, and \(\ce{HG2}\) beside the bottom line. Equivalently, with a common total composition, the compared states are \(\ce{H + 2G}\), \(\ce{HG_a + G}\), \(\ce{HG_b + G}\), and \(\ce{HG2}\).

3.5

The total host concentration is \[ H_T=\frac{1\ \mathrm{mol}}{1\ \mathrm L} =1\ \mathrm{mol\,L^{-1}}. \] The stated condition is \[ z=x+y. \] Using the equilibrium expressions, \[ \beta K_aK_bhg^2=(K_a+K_b)hg. \] For a positive amount of added guest, \(g>0\), so \[ g=\frac{K_a+K_b}{\beta K_aK_b} =\frac{6\ \mathrm{L\,mol^{-1}}} {24\ \mathrm{L^2\,mol^{-2}}} =\boxed{0.25\ \mathrm{mol\,L^{-1}}}. \]

The host balance becomes \[ H_T=h\left[1+(K_a+K_b)g+\beta K_aK_bg^2\right], \] hence \[ h=\frac{1}{1+6(0.25)+24(0.25)^2} =0.25\ \mathrm{mol\,L^{-1}}. \]

The complex concentrations are \[ x=2(0.25)(0.25)=0.125\ \mathrm{mol\,L^{-1}}, \] \[ y=4(0.25)(0.25)=0.250\ \mathrm{mol\,L^{-1}}, \] \[ z=x+y=0.375\ \mathrm{mol\,L^{-1}}. \]

The initial guest amount must include both free and bound guest: \[ \begin{aligned} n_0(\ce{G}) &=V(g+x+y+2z)\\ &=(1\ \mathrm L)(0.25+0.125+0.250+2\times0.375) \ \mathrm{mol\,L^{-1}}\\ &=\boxed{1.375\ \mathrm{mol}\approx1.38\ \mathrm{mol}}. \end{aligned} \]

3.6

Here the reference to “question 2.1” is interpreted as referring to 3.3: \[ H_T=1\ \mathrm{mol\,L^{-1}},\qquad G_T=2\ \mathrm{mol\,L^{-1}}, \] \[ K_a=2\ \mathrm{L\,mol^{-1}},\qquad K_b=4\ \mathrm{L\,mol^{-1}}. \]

(a) \(\beta=0\)

Double binding is excluded: \[ z=0. \] Subtracting the host balance from the guest balance gives \[ g-h=1\ \mathrm{mol\,L^{-1}}. \] Also, \[ x+y=(K_a+K_b)hg. \] Thus \[ h+(6\ \mathrm{L\,mol^{-1}})h \left(h+1\ \mathrm{mol\,L^{-1}}\right) =1\ \mathrm{mol\,L^{-1}}. \]

With \(u=h/c^\circ\), this becomes \[ 6u^2+7u-1=0. \] Only the positive root is physical: \[ h=\frac{\sqrt{73}-7}{12}\ \mathrm{mol\,L^{-1}} \approx\boxed{0.1287\ \mathrm{mol\,L^{-1}}}. \] Therefore, \[ g=h+1\ \mathrm{mol\,L^{-1}} \approx\boxed{1.1287\ \mathrm{mol\,L^{-1}}}. \]

Since \(y=2x\) and \(x+y=H_T-h\), \[ x=\frac{H_T-h}{3} \approx\boxed{0.2904\ \mathrm{mol\,L^{-1}}}, \] \[ y=\frac{2(H_T-h)}{3} \approx\boxed{0.5809\ \mathrm{mol\,L^{-1}}}, \qquad \boxed{z=0}. \]

(b) \(\beta\to\infty\)

Because \(G_T=2H_T\), subtracting twice the host balance from the guest balance yields \[ g=2h+x+y. \] Using \(x+y=(K_a+K_b)hg\), \[ h=\frac{g}{2+(K_a+K_b)g}. \] Consequently, \[ z=\beta K_aK_bhg^2 =\frac{\beta K_aK_bg^3}{2+(K_a+K_b)g}. \]

The concentration \(z\) cannot exceed \(H_T\). As \(\beta\to\infty\), the last expression therefore requires \(g\to0\). It follows that \[ h\to0,\qquad x=K_ahg\to0,\qquad y=K_bhg\to0. \] The host balance then gives \[ \boxed{z\to H_T=1\ \mathrm{mol\,L^{-1}}}. \]

Thus all host approaches the doubly bound form, consuming the entire available guest supply in the overall reaction \[ \ce{H + 2G <=> HG2}. \]

The solution was checked against the official solution.