Beyond symmetric self-assembly and effective molarity: unlocking functional enzyme mimics with robust organic cages.

ABSTRACT: The bespoke environments in enzyme active sites can selectively accelerate chemical reactions by as much as 10¹⁹. Macromolecular and supramolecular chemists have been inspired to understand and mimic these accelerations and selectivities for applications in catalysis for sustainable synthesis. Over the past 60+ years, mimicry strategies have evolved with changing interests, understanding, and synthetic advances but, ubiquitously, research has focused on use of a molecular "cavity". The activities of different cavities vary with the subset of features available to a particular cavity type. Unsurprisingly, without synthetic access to mimics able to encompass more/all of the functional features of enzyme active sites, examples of cavity-catalyzed processes demonstrating enzyme-like

SUBMITTER: Andrews KG 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11878132 | biostudies-literature | 2025

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature