Molecular Behavior in Small Spaces

小空间中的分子行为

• 批准号: 1213415
• 负责人: Julius Rebek
• 金额: $ 48万
• 依托单位: The Scripps Research Institute
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2012
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2012-07-15 至 2015-06-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1213415&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Molecular; Behavior; Small; Spaces

This award to Dr. Rebek of the Scripps Research Institute is funded by the Macromolecular, Supramolecular and Nanochemistry Program and is directed at harnessing the unusual behavior of molecules in confined spaces to perform a number of desirable tasks. The confined spaces are the reversibly formed capsules and the tasks comprise the control, acceleration and even catalysis of reactions inside the space. Capsules with chiral spaces will be applied in asymmetric synthesis and separation science. Capsules attached to surfaces built up through layer-by-layer self-assembly will "write" information on the nanoscale. Polymeric capsules will be prepared, characterized and evaluated as "smart" materials. These materials respond by expansion and contraction to changes in signals in the environment. The majority of all medicines are synthetic small molecules that exert their beneficial effects by fitting into the small spaces of human proteins. This proposal intends to research the behavior of molecules in the small spaces inside synthetic containers. The size, shape and chemical surface of the containers are controlled by laboratory synthesis designed to manipulate the container and contained molecules to perform tasks. The tasks include reversible expansion like muscle movement, storing information like nanoscale computers and acting as reaction chambers as a laboratory flask. Students and postdoctoral fellows will be trained on how to perform research; these researchers are likely to move on to the nearby biotech and hightech industries. This project attracts high school teachers and students in the San Diego area. The Scripps outreach program on campus will manage these summer internships.

该奖项授予斯克里普斯研究所的Rebek博士，该奖项由大分子、超分子和纳米化学项目资助，旨在利用分子在密闭空间中的不寻常行为来完成一些理想的任务。密闭空间是可逆形成的胶囊，任务包括控制、加速甚至催化空间内的反应。具有手性空间的胶囊将在不对称合成和分离科学中得到应用。通过一层一层的自组装，附着在表面上的胶囊将在纳米尺度上“写入”信息。聚合物胶囊将被制备、表征和评估为“智能”材料。这些材料通过膨胀和收缩来响应环境信号的变化。大多数药物都是合成的小分子，通过融入人类蛋白质的小空间来发挥其有益作用。本课题旨在研究分子在合成容器内小空间内的行为。容器的大小、形状和化学表面由实验室合成控制，旨在操纵容器和所含分子执行任务。这些任务包括像肌肉运动一样的可逆扩张，像纳米级计算机一样的信息存储，以及像实验室烧瓶一样的反应室。学生和博士后将接受如何进行研究的培训；这些研究人员可能会转移到附近的生物技术和高科技行业。这个项目吸引了圣地亚哥地区的高中教师和学生。斯克里普斯校园外展项目将管理这些暑期实习。