Supramolecular Control in Synthetic Enzyme-Mimetic Materials

Iowa State University, Ames IA

Investigators

Abstract

Enzymes are catalysts involved in biological processes to speed up biological reactions. They have extraordinary catalytic efficiency under mild conditions and tend to be remarkably selective in a mixture of numerous compounds. These features are highly desirable but have been difficult to achieve in non-biological systems. The research group of Professor Yan Zhao at Iowa State University develops novel approaches to prepare synthetic systems that mimic enzymes in their dimension, water-solubility, and, more importantly, catalytic behavior. The research is expected to greatly enhance the capabilities of synthetic catalysts for reactions important to chemical industry and biomass conversion. It trains student researchers into professional scientists by exposing them to a wide range of skills in physical organic chemistry, supramolecular chemistry, catalysis, and polymer chemistry. Enzymes frequently perform chemical reactions with efficiency and selectivity difficult from a pure synthetic perspective. Although molecular recognition is an essential feature of enzymatic catalysts, chemists have limited abilities to construct substrate-specific active sites. This project, funded by the Macromolecular, Supramolecular and Nanochemistry Program of the Chemistry Division, supports Professor Yan Zhao of Iowa State University to study novel methods to construct artificial enzymes for the hydrolysis of esters and acetals, through molecular imprinting within cross-linked surfactant micelles. These catalysts are anticipated to have key features of enzymes such as selective binding of the substrate via non-covalent forces, correct positioning of appropriate functional groups within the active site for optimal reactivity, and preferential binding of the substrate over the product. Catalytic efficiency and selectivity is maximized through systematic tuning of the size and shape of the active sites, as well as the type and the position of the catalytic groups in the active sites.