NOWE SPOJRZENIE NA KRYSTALOCHEMIĘ NUKLEOTYDÓW

Nucleotides play a fundamental role in the functioning of all living systems. They constitute the building blocks of nucleic acids (DNA and RNA), regulate metabolic pathways, energy transfer, and signal transduction, and serve as essential components of many antiviral and anticancer drugs as well as food additives. Structural investigations in both the solid state and in solution have provided significant insights into the characteristic features of nucleotides. However, certain crystalline systems – including potassium salts, cyclic nucleotides, and anhydrous forms – remain poorly characterized. This study presents examples of structural research of nucleotides in these less-explored areas, demonstrating the application of post-crystallization dehydration as a method for obtaining crystals with novel architectures, conformations, and structural motifs, such as unique intermolecular interactions and metal-ion coordination patterns, which cannot be achieved through typical solution crystallization.