Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 10, 2026
16:24
Controlling the Size, Shape and Stability of Supramolecular Polymers in Water
Published on: August 2, 2012
19.3K
Temporally Controlled Supramolecular Catalysts with pH-Dependent Activity
Giulio Pucciarelli1, Francesco Ranieri2, Alessandro Casnati3
1Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Chimiche, Università"Tor Vergata", Via Della Ricerca Scientifica, 1, 00133 Roma, Italy.
ACS Omega
|February 9, 2026
Summary
Synthetic catalysts
Area of Science:
- Catalysis
- Supramolecular Chemistry
- Chemical Systems
Background:
- Controlling synthetic catalyst activity over time is crucial for adaptive chemical systems.
- Supramolecular phosphodiesterase mimics are often pH-sensitive, requiring specific conditions for activity.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a dissipative strategy for temporal pH modulation.
- To control the activity states of pH-sensitive catalysts.
Main Methods:
- Utilized activated carboxylic acids (ACAs) for transient pH changes.
- Analyzed ACA acid-base behavior using potentiometric studies.
- Investigated catalytic performance of metal complexes with polyamine and calixarene ligands.
Main Results:
- ACAs enable transient acidification followed by a pH recovery.
- Identified parameters influencing the lifetime of the dissipative pH state.
- Demonstrated programmable regulation of phosphodiester cleavage catalysis.
Conclusions:
- Dissipative ACA strategy offers temporal control over catalyst activity.
- This approach lays groundwork for adaptive, temporally controlled chemical systems.
Related Concept Videos
01:26Activation Energy
86.9K
Activation energy is the minimum amount of energy necessary for a chemical reaction to move forward. The higher the activation energy, the slower the rate of the reaction. However, adding heat to the reaction will increase the rate, since it causes molecules to move faster and increase the likelihood that molecules will collide. The collision and breaking of bonds represents the uphill phase of a reaction and generates the transition state. The transition state is an unstable high-energy state...
86.9K
01:21Frequency-dependent Selection
24.2K
When the fitness of a trait is influenced by how common it is (i.e., its frequency) relative to different traits within a population, this is referred to as frequency-dependent selection. Frequency-dependent selection may occur between species or within a single species. This type of selection can either be positive—with more common phenotypes having higher fitness—or negative, with rarer phenotypes conferring increased fitness.
24.2K
02:55Temperature Dependence on Reaction Rate
89.2K
The Collision Theory
Atoms, molecules, or ions must collide before they can react with each other. Atoms must be close together to form chemical bonds. This premise is the basis for a theory that explains many observations regarding chemical kinetics, including factors affecting reaction rates.
The collision theory is based on the postulates that (i) the reaction rate is proportional to the rate of reactant collisions, (ii) the reacting species collide in an orientation allowing contact between...
Atoms, molecules, or ions must collide before they can react with each other. Atoms must be close together to form chemical bonds. This premise is the basis for a theory that explains many observations regarding chemical kinetics, including factors affecting reaction rates.
The collision theory is based on the postulates that (i) the reaction rate is proportional to the rate of reactant collisions, (ii) the reacting species collide in an orientation allowing contact between...
89.2K
01:17Drug Dependence
1.7K
Medications are typically administered to achieve therapeutic effects. Some drugs can modify an individual's mood and perception, frequently resulting in various enjoyable experiences. However, this can result in drug dependency, a condition marked by continuous drug use despite potential negative consequences. Drug dependency primarily falls into two categories: psychological and physical dependence. Psychological dependence occurs when the pleasurable feelings induced by the drug...
1.7K
01:19Contact-dependent Signaling
47.6K
Contact-dependent signaling, as the name suggests, requires that communicating cells be in direct contact with each other. This is achieved either through receptor-ligand interactions or by specialized cytoplasmic channels that allow the flow of small molecules between cells. In animal cells, channels called gap junctions facilitate contact-dependent signaling in certain tissues, whereas, plasmodesmata perform a similar function in plants.
Gap Junctions
In animal cells, gap junctions are formed...
Gap Junctions
In animal cells, gap junctions are formed...
47.6K
02:33Combinatorial Gene Control
9.7K
Combinatorial gene control is the synergistic action of several transcriptional factors to regulate the expression of a single gene. The absence of one or more of these factors may lead to a significant difference in the level of gene expression or repression.
The expression of more than 30,000 genes is controlled by approximately 2000-3000 transcription factors. This is possible because a single transcription factor can recognize more than one regulatory sequence. The specificity in gene...
The expression of more than 30,000 genes is controlled by approximately 2000-3000 transcription factors. This is possible because a single transcription factor can recognize more than one regulatory sequence. The specificity in gene...
9.7K