New Versatile and Stable Artificial Enzymes

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With funding from the Organic Dynamics Program, Professor Lee of the University of Houston will investigate new and versatile approaches to the preparation of artificial enzymes. The research will focus on the use of alkanethio units to bind a monolayer of cyclodextrin moieties to a gold surface. Further, within the cyclodextrin cavity, additional alkanethio units shall be bonded to the gold surface and used to position the reactants for enhanced catalytic activity. For the education portion of the investigation, the principal investigator will facilitate student understanding of the industrial environment by inviting several lecturers from the local industries to talk in a new course on `Process Chemistry and Environmental Aspects of Petrochemistry`. In addition, a second course will be added on the subject `Chemistry in Context`. Control of reaction topology to facilitate a desired reaction is the main goal of many scientists. This award from the Organic Dynamics Program addresses this theme by tethering artificial catalytic units to gold surfaces and using alkanethio units to tune the inner catalytic environment. The education portion of the award will focus on preparing undergraduate and graduate students for their post-graduate careers by introducing two new courses. The first course will teach them how chemistry is involved in the everyday life and is titled, `Chemistry in Context`. For the second course, industrial scientists will be invited to give several lectures and perspectives of industrial careers.