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Published on: August 1, 2018
Direct Synthesis of Artificial Esterase through Molecular Imprinting Using a Substrate-Mimicking Acylthiourea
1Department of Chemistry, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa 50011-3111, United States.
Abstract:
Most reported artificial esterases hydrolyze only activated esters. We here report a one-pot synthesis of artificial esterases via molecular imprinting. An acylthiourea template hydrogen bonds with 4-vinylbenzoic acid and coordinates to a polymerizable zinc complex inside a cross-linkable surfactant micelle. Double cross-linking of the micelle yields a polymeric nanoparticle catalyst that mimics a metalloenzyme to activate a water molecule for nucleophilic attack on the bound ester. The catalyst hydrolyzes both activated and unactivated esters under mild conditions with selectivity.
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