Host-Guest and Catalytic Properties of Deep-Cavity Cavitands

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Professor Bruce C. Gibb in the Department of Chemistry at the University of New Orleans is supported by the Organic and Macromolecular Chemistry Program for his studies on the synthesis of resorcinol-based cavitands, determination of binding constants with various small "guest" substrates, incorporation of a Zn(2+) catalytic site into the cavitand, and evaluation of these supramolecular hosts' ability to catalyze the hydrolysis of ester substrates. The regioselective hydrolysis of diester guests based on the characteristics of the binding site will also be explored.With the support of the Organic and Macromolecular Chemistry Program, Professor Gibb will prepare a series of large, cyclic organic compounds which have the capacity to bind to various smaller substrates. A catalytic active site similar to that found in the enzyme, carbonic anhydrase, will then be attached to the cyclic host compound. These enzyme mimics will be evaluated for their ability to catalyze a similar reaction to that of the natural enzyme. By varying the characteristics of the cyclic host's binding cavity, different substrates will be bound to the hosts with varying affinities. This in turn will affect the catalytic rate of these compounds with various substrates.