Developing Catalytic Nanogels as General Purpose Glycosidases

开发新的途径将现成的可再生资源转化为有用的材料是21世纪化学的重大挑战之一。设计一种模拟自然界使用的酶的催化剂是一种很有前途的方法，可以转化现成的起始材料，如植物纤维素。在这个项目中，阿肯色大学的Susanne Striegler教授正在发展对类酶催化剂的基本理解，并利用它们的结构和功能之间的协同作用。随着从生物可再生资源中提取精细化学品的新途径日益重要，这项基础研究对我们的社会是有益的。Striegler博士积极参与推广活动，鼓励中学生学习STEM（科学、技术、工程和数学）学科，并结合德语技能发展。鼓励学生加强他们的德语技能和STEM教育，为他们在国际层面上与他人交往以及在国外学习和工作做好准备。在化学催化、大分子、超分子和纳米化学项目的资助下，阿肯色大学的Striegler博士正在开发仿生大分子、纳米凝胶催化剂，并详细阐述了催化支持基质效应和过渡金属配合物催化功能之间的协同作用。由此产生的催化剂可以找到从新的抗菌剂到从非活性低聚糖生产生物燃料的应用范围。结构-活性关系研究被用于阐述非活化糖和双核铜（II）配合物之间的过渡态稳定相互作用。该研究利用动力学分析与计算方法相结合来揭示糖的结合位点，以及糖-金属配合物组装的能量和几何形状。通过对纳米凝胶的基础和基础研究，可以最大限度地发挥纳米凝胶的催化效能，为仿生催化开辟新的研究领域。Striegler博士积极参与外展项目，专注于STEM领域的学生招募，将讲德语的当地中学生和高中生及其教师与STEM领域的培训和职业机会联系起来。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，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。

Developing new routes to transform readily available and renewable resources into useful materials is one of the grand challenges of the 21st century chemistry. The design of catalysts that mimic the enzymes used by nature is a promising way to transform readily available starting materials such as plant cellulose. In this project, Professor Susanne Striegler of the University of Arkansas is developing fundamental understanding of enzyme-like catalysts and exploiting the synergy between their structure and function. This basic research is beneficial to our society as new avenues toward fine chemicals from bio-renewable resources grow in importance. Dr. Striegler is actively engaged in outreach activities to encourage middle and high school students in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) disciplines and in combination with German language skill development. Encouraging students to strengthen their German language skills and STEM education prepares them to engage others at an international level and to study and work abroad.With funding from the Chemical Catalysis and Macromolecular, Supramolecular and Nanochemistry Programs of the Chemistry Division, Dr. Striegler of the University of Arkansas is developing biomimetic macromolecular, nanogel catalysts and elaborating the synergy between catalysis-supporting matrix effects and the catalytic function of transition metal complexes. The resulting catalysts may find applications ranging from new antimicrobial agents to biofuel production from non-activated oligosaccharides. Structure-activity relationship studies are being used to elaborate transition state-stabilizing interactions between non-activated saccharides and binuclear copper(II) complexes. The studies utilize kinetic analyses in combination with a computational approach to reveal binding sites of the saccharides, and energies and geometries of sugar-metal complex assemblies. The fundamental and basic studies are projected to maximize the catalytic potency of nanogels and open new research frontiers in biomimetic catalysis. Dr. Striegler is actively engaged in outreach programs focusing on student recruitment into the STEM fields by connecting German speaking local middle and high-school students and their teachers to the training and career opportunities in the STEM field.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.