Synthesis and study of glycoconjugates and carbohydrate based macrocycles

碳水化合物是可再生的丰富的自然资源。利用容易获得的糖，如葡萄糖，果糖或乳糖作为积木，老自治领大学的王桂军教授的研究小组正在开发新的策略，将糖组装成具有特定形状和功能的大分子。由此产生的分子系统对于理解碳水化合物与其他生物分子的相互作用是有用的。应用包括发现新的催化剂和先进的生物材料。从丰富的碳水化合物中制备新型、功能性和生物相容性材料对于绿色化学、材料科学和生物医学科学的发展具有重要意义。该项目为各级学生，特别是本科生和研究生提供教育机会。学生参与有机合成和生物有机，医药和材料化学的跨学科研究。研究生在制药公司有工业实习机会。 低分子量胶凝剂（LMWG）可以自组装并形成可逆的超分子凝胶，这是一类具有许多应用的软材料。王教授的小组正在开发合成方法，以获得几类可以形成可逆水凝胶和有机凝胶以及其他功能分子组装体的糖模拟物。本论文的主要研究内容如下：1）合成和研究了一系列新型的杂环功能化糖衍生物，这些糖衍生物具有分子胶凝剂和催化配体的功能。2)将有效的分子胶凝剂或催化剂官能化，通过形成支链或直链低聚物来改善其性能。多功能自组装系统旨在保持LMWG的结构灵活性，同时还显示机械强度和稳定性。3)杂环连接的碳水化合物大环化合物的合成与表征。这些糖大环化合物作为新型催化剂或酶抑制剂具有重要的潜在应用。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

Carbohydrates are renewable and abundant natural resources. Using readily available sugars such as glucose, fructose, or lactose as building blocks, the research group of Professor Guijun Wang at Old Dominion University is developing new strategies for assembling sugars into large molecules with defined shape and functions. The resulting molecular systems are useful for understanding carbohydrate interactions with other biomolecules. Applications include the discovery of new catalysts and advanced biomaterials. The creation of novel, functional and biocompatible materials from abundant carbohydrates is important for the advancement of green chemistry, material sciences, and biomedical sciences. The project provides educational opportunities for students at all levels, especially undergraduate and graduate students. Students participate in interdisciplinary research in organic synthesis and bioorganic, medicinal, and materials chemistry. Graduate students have industrial internship opportunities in pharmaceutical companies. Low molecular weight gelators (LMWGs) can self-assemble and form reversible supramolecular gels, a category of soft materials with many applications. Professor Wang's group is developing synthetic methods to obtain several classes of glycomimetics that can form reversible hydrogels and organogels and other functional molecular assemblies. The main aims of the proposed research are: 1) The synthesis and study of new series of heterocycle functionalized sugar derivatives that may function as molecular gelators and ligands for catalysis. 2) The functionalization of effective molecular gelators or catalysts to improve their performance through formation of branched or linear oligomers. The multifunctional self-assembling systems are designed to retain the structural flexibility of LMWGs while also displaying mechanical strength and stability. 3) The synthesis and characterization of heterocycle-linked, carbohydrate-based macrocycles. These glycomacrocycles have important potential applications as novel catalysts or enzyme inhibitors.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.