Search

One important objective of molecular assembly research is to create highly complex functional chemical systems capable of responding, adapting, and evolving. Compared with living systems, the synthetic systems are still rather primitive and are far from realizing those features. Nature is by far the most important source of inspiration for designing and creating such systems. In this critical review, we summarize an alternative approach, inspired by catalysis, to examine and describe some molecular assembly processes. A new term, "catassembly," is suggested to refer to the increase in the rate and control of a molecular assembly process. This term combines the words "catalysis" and "assembly," and identifiably retains the Greek root "cat-" of catalysis. The corresponding verb is "catassemble" and the noun is "catassembler", referring to the "helper" species. Catassembly in molecular assembly is a concept that is analogous to catalysis in chemical synthesis. After using several examples to illustrate the characteristics of catassembly, we discuss future methodological and theoretical developments. We also emphasize the significance of the synergy between chemical synthesis and molecular assembly, especially for hierarchical assembly systems. Because most efforts in the field of molecular assembly have been devoted to the design and synthesis of molecular building blocks, we wish to stress the apparently missing yet critical link to complex chemical systems, i.e., the design and utilization of molecular catassemblers to facilitate the formation of functional molecular assemblies from building blocks with high efficiency and selectivity. This rational control and accelerated method will promote the systems chemistry approach, and may expand the spectrum of molecular assembly from basic science to applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Self-recognition within the crystal lattices of three functionalised macrocycles results in the formation of arrays of remarkably similar hermaphroditic pairs of macrocycles. In the case of two of the macrocycles containing acylhydrazine substituents, a hitherto unknown recognition pattern is found in the interaction of the hydrazine moiety with crown-ether oxygen atoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A gas diffusion electrode (air electrode) with a high current efficiency of electro-synthesizing H2O2 using O2 in air was prepared. The several systems with air electrode as cathode of electro-synthesizing H2O2 on the reaction spot for degrading aniline in aqueous—electro-Fenton system, photo-excitation electro-H2O2 system and photo-electro-Fenton system, were developed. The rates of decomposition of H2O2 and mineralization of aniline were experimentally measured respectively under different conditions, and the results indicated there has an excellent parallel relation between decomposition rate of H2O2 and mineralization rate of aniline. Especially, photo-electro-Fenton system, where H2O2 is decomposed the fastest, is the best system of oxidizing and degrading organic toxicants. Compared photo-electro-Fenton system with photo-Fenton system, important role is revealed in the interface of air electrode. In this paper, the mineralization mechanism of aniline in the photo-electro-Fenton system was also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human acetylcholinesterase (hAChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (hBChE) are related enzymes. hAChE plays a key role in neurotransmission and is the target of organophosphorus nerve agents. hBChE is good a natural stoichiometric scavenger of nerve agents, preventing their diffusion to the central and peripheral nervous system where they inhibit hAChE. hAChE and hBChE display different specificities for substrates and ligands due to differences in the number of aromatic residues lining the active site gorge. These aromatic residues are essential for the binding of quaternary and aromatic ligands. Some molecules containing quaternary and/or aromatic moieties form supramolecular structures by chelating Zinc. The nature of these molecules suggested that they could have affinity for the aromatic residues in the active site gorge of human cholinesterases. It was confirmed by determining their inhibition properties. A key question was whether these supramolecular ligands bind to human cholinesterases as their Zn-complex or monomeric form? The X-ray structures of two supramolecular complexes binding to the gorge of the hAChE and the hBChE reported herein showed that either cases are possible. These structural data on two new types of ligand can be used to design original cholinesterases inhibitors or reactivators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents information on extended &b.pi;-conjugated dendrimers based on truxene. Preparation of a novel dendrimer containing up to nine truxene moieties with good yields; Difficulties in cyclotrimerizations due to steric hindrance of the giant truxene moiety; Affect of large torsion angle between the giant truxene moiety and the benzene ring on the full &b.pi;-delocalization of the whole molecule; Platform to synthesize a family of dendrimers utilizing giant polycyclic aromatics.