Cooperatively Folded Supramolecular Hosts in Organic and Aqueous Solution

化学部的大分子、超分子和纳米化学项目支持爱荷华州立大学赵岩教授研究由两亲性构建块组成的合成分子。这些分子折叠和展开合作，模仿蛋白质的构象变化和分子结合。不同功能化的文件夹使它们可溶于非极性介质或水溶液。利用紫外-可见光谱、荧光光谱和等温滴定量热法研究了它们的构象和分子识别。该研究旨在促进对构象移动超分子宿主的基本理解，并使化学家能够设计具有蛋白质样结合能力的合成宿主。该项目的更广泛影响包括训练学生进行仿生研究，向代表性不足的学生和对科学事业感兴趣的中学生伸出援助之手，并使研究生熟悉工业研究。由于分子识别是生物学的核心，该项目预计将影响许多重要领域，包括酶催化、药物开发、化学分析和超分子化学。

The Macromolecular, Supramolecular, and Nanochemistry Program of the Chemistry Division supports Professor Yan Zhao of Iowa State University to study synthetic molecules made of amphiphilic building blocks. These molecules fold and unfold cooperatively, mimicking proteins in their conformational change and molecular binding. Different functionalization of the foldamers makes them soluble in either nonpolar media or aqueous solutions. Their conformation and molecular recognition are studied by UV-vis spectroscopy, fluorescence spectroscopy, and isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC). The research aims to advance fundamental understanding of conformationally mobile supramolecular hosts and enable chemists to design synthetic hosts with protein-like binding capabilities.The broader impacts of the project include training students in biomimetic research, outreaching to underrepresented students and middle-school students interested in scientific careers, and familiarizing graduate students with industrial research. Because molecular recognition is at the heart of biology, the project is expected to impact a number of important fields including enzyme catalysis, drug development, chemical analysis, and supramolecular chemistry.