A deep cavitand catalyzes the Diels-Alder reaction of bound maleimides

Photoswitchable Catalysis by a Self-Assembled Molecular Cage

A heteroleptic [Pd2L2L'2]4+ coordination cage containing a photoswitchable azobenzene-derived ligand catalyzes the Michael addition reaction between methyl vinyl ketone and benzoyl nitromethane within its cavity. The corresponding homoleptic cages are catalytically inactive. The heteroleptic cage can be reversibly disassembled and reassembled using 530 and 405 nm light, respectively, allowing catalysis within the cage to be switched OFF and ON at will.

Picking the lock of coordination cage catalysis

The design principles of metallo-organic assembly reactions have facilitated access to hundreds of coordination cages of varying size and shape. Many of these assemblies possess a well-defined cavity capable of hosting a guest, pictorially mimicking the action of a substrate binding to the active site of an enzyme. While there are now a growing collection of coordination cages that show highly proficient catalysis, exhibiting both excellent activity and efficient turnover, this number is still small compared to the vast library of metal-organic structures that are known. In this review, we will attempt to unpick and discuss the key features that make an effective coordination cage catalyst, linking structure to activity (and selectivity) using lessons learnt from both experimental and computational analysis of the most notable exemplars. We will also provide an outlook for this area, reasoning why coordination cages have the potential to become the gold-standard in (synthetic) non-covalent catalysis.

Combining iminium and supramolecular catalysis for the [4 + 2] cycloaddition of E-cinnamaldehydes

Herein we describe a method for combining supramolecular catalysis with imininum-based organocatalysis in the Diels-Alder cycloaddition reaction. Both supramolecular host and L-proline are required for the reaction to occur, implying that encapsulation of the substrates and co-catalyst are necessary for the reaction to occur. We explore the substrate scope for a variety of E-cinnamaldehydes and dienes. Finally, we probe the supramolecular assembly processes responsible for the observed catalysis using NMR spectroscopic methods.

Intrinsic and Extrinsic Control of the pKa of Thiol Guests inside Yoctoliter Containers

Despite decades of research, there are still many open questions surrounding the mechanisms by which enzymes catalyze reactions. Understanding all the noncovalent forces involved has the potential to allow de novo catalysis design, and as a step toward this, understanding how to control the charge state of ionizable groups represents a powerful yet straightforward approach to probing complex systems. Here we utilize supramolecular capsules assembled via the hydrophobic effect to encapsulate guests and control their acidity. We find that the greatest influence on the acidity of bound guests is the location of the acidic group within the yoctoliter space. However, the nature of the electrostatic field generated by the (remote) charged solubilizing groups also plays a significant role in acidity, as does counterion complexation to the outer surfaces of the capsules. Taken together, these results suggest new ways by which to affect reactions in confined spaces.

Chemical reactivity under nanoconfinement

Confining molecules can fundamentally change their chemical and physical properties. Confinement effects are considered instrumental at various stages of the origins of life, and life continues to rely on layers of compartmentalization to maintain an out-of-equilibrium state and efficiently synthesize complex biomolecules under mild conditions. As interest in synthetic confined systems grows, we are realizing that the principles governing reactivity under confinement are the same in abiological systems as they are in nature. In this Review, we categorize the ways in which nanoconfinement effects impact chemical reactivity in synthetic systems. Under nanoconfinement, chemical properties can be modulated to increase reaction rates, enhance selectivity and stabilize reactive species. Confinement effects also lead to changes in physical properties. The fluorescence of light emitters, the colours of dyes and electronic communication between electroactive species can all be tuned under confinement. Within each of these categories, we elucidate design principles and strategies that are widely applicable across a range of confined systems, specifically highlighting examples of different nanocompartments that influence reactivity in similar ways.

A K+-promoted Diels-Alder reaction by using a self-assembled macrocyclic boronic ester containing two crown ether moieties

A K+-promoted Diels-Alder reaction of 1,4,9,10-anthradiquinone with various dienes is achieved in the presence of a self-assembled macrocyclic boronic ester [2+2]crown containing two crown ether moieties. The reaction rate is remarkably accelerated (up to 206-fold) compared to that in the absence of the promoter. Furthermore, the reaction proceeds regioselectively to yield an internal adduct. The self-assembly protocol was also demonstrated.

Molecular protection of fatty acid methyl esters within a supramolecular capsule

We describe the use of a supramolecular nano-capsule for selective protection of cis- and trans-C18 mono-unsaturated fatty-acid esters.

High Activity and Efficient Turnover by a Simple, Self-Assembled "Artificial Diels-Alderase"

The Diels-Alder (DA) reaction is a cornerstone of synthesis, yet Nature does not use catalysts for intermolecular [4+2] cycloadditions. Attempts to create artificial "Diels-Alderases" have also met with limited success, plagued by product inhibition. Using a simple Pd₂L₄ capsule we now show DA catalysis that combines efficient turnover alongside enzyme-like hallmarks. This includes excellent activity (k_cat/k_uncat > 10³), selective transition-state stabilization comparable to the most proficient DA catalytic antibodies, and control over regio- and chemoselectivity that would otherwise be difficult to achieve using small-molecule catalysts. Unlike other catalytic approaches that use synthetic capsules, this method is not defined by entropic effects; instead multiple H-bonding interactions modulate reactivity, reminiscent of enzymatic action.

De novo endo-functionalized organic cages as cooperative multi-hydrogen-bond-donating catalysts

Two endo-functionalized organic cages as oxyanion hole mimics were achieved via dynamic covalent chemistry, which exhibit good size selectivity, catalytic activity and broad substrate scopes for Friedel-Crafts reactions. The modular character of the synthesis provides an easy way to modify the size, shape and inner function of the molecular cavity.

Supramolecular catalysis. Part 2: artificial enzyme mimics

The design of artificial catalysts able to compete with the catalytic proficiency of enzymes is an intense subject of research. Non-covalent interactions are thought to be involved in several properties of enzymatic catalysis, notably (i) the confinement of the substrates and the active site within a catalytic pocket, (ii) the creation of a hydrophobic pocket in water, (iii) self-replication properties and (iv) allosteric properties. The origins of the enhanced rates and high catalytic selectivities associated with these properties are still a matter of debate. Stabilisation of the transition state and favourable conformations of the active site and the product(s) are probably part of the answer. We present here artificial catalysts and biomacromolecule hybrid catalysts which constitute good models towards the development of truly competitive artificial enzymes.

High-turnover supramolecular catalysis by a protected ruthenium(II) complex in aqueous solution

The design of a supramolecular catalyst capable of high-turnover catalysis is reported. A ruthenium(II) catalyst is incorporated into a water-soluble supramolecular assembly, imparting the ability to catalyze allyl alcohol isomerization. The catalyst is protected from decomposition by sequestration inside the host but retains its catalytic activity with scope governed by confinement within the host. This host-guest complex is a uniquely active supramolecular catalyst, capable of >1000 turnovers.

Oxime decorated cavitands functionalized through solvent-assisted grinding

In order to assemble supramolecular capsules, there is a need for reliable and effective synthetic methods for decorating cavitand-based host structures with appropriate functional groups. The synthesis of four different cavitands of significantly different depth and interior volume functionalized with four aldoxime groups capable of forming homomeric or heteromeric capsules through hydrogen bonding is reported. The final step in each synthesis, the aldehyde to oxime transformation, has been achieved in excellent yields through 'solvent assisted grinding'.

Electronic and steric effects in binding of deep cavitands

A deep, self-folding cavitand responds to minor electronic differences between suitably sized adamantane guests. Binding constants range from <0.5 to 4000 M(-1) for guests as similar as 1-bromoadamantane and 1-cyanoadamantane. The barriers to guest exchange also vary up to 3 kcal mol(-1).

Structure-reactivity relationships in a recognition mediated [3+2] dipolar cycloaddition reaction

The [3+2] dipolar cycloaddition between an azide and maleimide can be accelerated by a factor of more than 100 simply by attaching complementary recognition sites to the reactive partners. This rate acceleration derives from the formation of a reactive binary complex between the azide and the maleimide. The variation of the observed rate acceleration with simple structural changes, such as adding additional rotors, should be relatively predictable. However, the application of a simple, rotor-based increment in the systems reported here is insufficient to predict reactivity correctly. Computational studies suggest that the nature of the available reaction pathways within the binary complex formed by the reactants is important in determining the reactivity of a given complex.

Chemistry and catalysis in functional cavitands

Biological macromolecules use binding forces to access unfavorable chemical equilibria and stabilize reactive intermediates by temporarily isolating them from the surrounding medium. Certain synthetic receptors, functional cavitands, share these abilities and allow for the direct observation of labile intermediates by conventional spectroscopy. The cavitands feature inwardly directed functional groups that form reversible, covalent bonds with small molecules held inside. Tetrahedral intermediates of carbonyl addition reactions--hemiaminals, hemiacetals, and hemiketals--show amplified concentrations and lifetimes of minutes under ambient conditions. Labile intermediates in addition reactions of carboxylic acids to isonitriles are also stabilized by isolation in the space of the cavitands. The restricted environments channel the reactions of intermediates in cavitands along a specific path and strengthen the parallels between functional synthetic cavitands and enzymes.

Reaction of isonitriles with carboxylic acids in a cavitand: observation of elusive isoimide intermediates

A deep cavitand with an inwardly directed carboxylic acid function reacts with small aliphatic isonitriles to form N-acyl formamides inside the cavity. The unique isolation and stabilization of covalently bound guests within the structured environment of the cavitand allows for observation of the labile O-acyl isoimide intermediate using conventional spectroscopic methods.