Dynamic negative allosteric effect: regulation of catalysis via multicomponent rotor speed

Area of Science:

• Molecular nanotechnology
• Supramolecular chemistry
• Chemical kinetics

Background:

• Nanorotors are nanoscale machines with potential applications in catalysis and drug delivery.
• Controlling the speed and function of nanorotors is crucial for their practical implementation.
• Orthogonal interactions offer precise control over the assembly of complex molecular structures.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assemble and characterize a multi-component nanorotor with tunable speed.
• To investigate the effect of nanorotor speed on catalytic reaction rates.
• To demonstrate the utility of nanorotor modification for controlling chemical processes.

Main Methods:

• Assembly of a five-component nanorotor (R1) using orthogonal interactions.
• Post-modification of R1 to create a six-component nanorotor (R2) with altered rotational frequency (45 kHz).
• Monitoring the effect of R2 speed on a model three-component reaction involving catalyst release.

Main Results:

• Successful assembly of nanorotor R1 (420 kHz) and R2 (45 kHz) through orthogonal interactions.
• Demonstrated that the reduced speed of R2 leads to the inhibition of the three-component reaction.
• Identified reduced catalyst release as the mechanism for reaction inhibition due to slower R2 rotation.

Conclusions:

• Multi-component nanorotors can be precisely engineered using orthogonal interactions.
• Nanorotor speed is a critical parameter that can be tuned to control catalytic reaction rates.
• This work provides a foundation for designing responsive nanomachines for controlled chemical synthesis.