Volume 58, Issue 33 pp. 11340-11343
Communication

Reversing Chemoselectivity: Simultaneous Positive and Negative Catalysis by Chemically Equivalent Rims of a Cucurbit[7]uril Host

Dr. Nazar Rad

Dr. Nazar Rad

Institute of Physical Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Kasprzaka 44/52, 01-224 Warsaw, Poland

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Dr. Oksana Danylyuk

Dr. Oksana Danylyuk

Institute of Physical Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Kasprzaka 44/52, 01-224 Warsaw, Poland

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Prof. Volodymyr Sashuk

Corresponding Author

Prof. Volodymyr Sashuk

Institute of Physical Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Kasprzaka 44/52, 01-224 Warsaw, Poland

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First published: 17 June 2019
Citations: 16

Graphical Abstract

Double action: A cucurbit[7]uril host can promote and inhibit two reactions simultaneously, leading to the diversion of the normal reaction course with the reversal of chemoselectivity. These findings may give insight into the action of enzyme mimics and other chemical networks.

Abstract

Enzyme catalysis has always been an inspiration and an unattainable goal for chemists due to features such as high specificity, selectivity, and efficiency. Here, we disclose a feature neither common in enzymes nor ever described for enzyme mimics, but one that could prove crucial for the catalytic performance of the latter, namely the ability to catalyze and inhibit two different reactions at the same time. Remarkably, this can be realized by two identical, spatially resolved catalytic sites. In the future, such a synchronized catalyst action could be used not only for controlling chemoselectivity, as in the present case, but also for regulating other types of chemical reactivity.

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