Stereokinetics / the optimisation of catalytic asymmetric reactions

立体动力学/催化不对称反应的优化

• 批准号: EP/D072182/1
• 负责人: David Fox
• 金额: $ 69.47万
• 依托单位: University of Warwick
• 依托单位国家: 英国
• 项目类别: Fellowship
• 财政年份: 2006
• 资助国家: 英国
• 起止时间: 2006 至 无数据
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=EP%2FD072182%2F1
• 关键词: Stereokinetics; optimisation; catalytic; asymmetric; reactions

Many useful chemical substances are made of molecules that can exist in two forms which differ only in that the arrangement of their atoms are mirror images, very much like the arrangement of fingers and thumbs on left and right hands. These mirror image molecules can also be described as left-hand and right-hand versions. These mirror image molecules generally behave the same way in many chemical reactions, but when interacting with living systems they often behave very differently because the living systems are also made up of mirror image molecules. As in the shaking of hands, a right-hand to right-hand contact is very different to a right-hand to left-hand contact. Therefore if we are to make medicines to cure disease one of the properties must be whether it includes a left-hand or right-hand version of a molecule. We need to be able to decide which version will make the best medicine, and then work out a way of making it without making the other one at the same time. In our project we are working on this second problem. In our chemical reactions we are giving molecules the opportunity to become left or right hand versions. Like cars stopping at a T-junction, they can turn either left or right. We are interested in making a molecular traffic policeman that will stand at the junction and direct the flow of molecules only one way, either left or right as we decide. The policeman molecule has to be able to signal strongly enough, and fast enough to keep up with the flow of molecular traffic. Of course it should be possible to put a policeman in every car; we wouldn't have to get the signal timing right, but it would be rather expensive in policemen, so our way is better. If we can make better (and faster!) signalling policeman molecules we can make more of the mirror image molecules we want and fewer of the ones we don't. The research proposed here will revolutionalise the way new asymmetric catalysts (policeman molecules) can be developed by providing a simple method for direct comparison.These better and cleaner methods for controlling chemical reactions will result in the cheaper and more environmentally manufacture of chemicals, particularly on the large scales used by the chemical and pharmaceutical industries. This would be very useful for people making new medicines.

许多有用的化学物质是由分子组成的，它们可以以两种形式存在，不同之处仅在于它们的原子排列是镜像，非常像左手和右手的手指和拇指的排列。这些镜像分子也可以被描述为左手和右手版本。这些镜像分子通常在许多化学反应中表现相同的方式，但当与生命系统相互作用时，它们的表现往往非常不同，因为生命系统也由镜像分子组成。就像握手一样，右手与右手的接触与右手与左手的接触是非常不同的。因此，如果我们要制造治疗疾病的药物，其中一个性质必须是它是否包含左旋或右旋分子。我们需要能够决定哪种版本将成为最好的药物，然后找到一种方法来制造它，而不同时制造另一种。在我们的项目中，我们正在解决第二个问题。在我们的化学反应中，我们让分子有机会变成左手型或右手型。就像停在丁字路口的汽车一样，它们可以左转也可以右转。我们感兴趣的是制造一个分子交通警察，它将站在交叉口，只向一个方向引导分子的流动，由我们决定是向左还是向右。警察分子必须能够发出足够强的信号，并且足够快，以跟上分子交通的流动。当然，在每辆车里都安排一个警察是可能的;我们不必把信号灯的时间安排得很好，但是警察的费用相当高，所以我们的方法更好。如果我们能做得更好（更快！）我们可以制造更多我们想要的镜像分子，而更少我们不想要的镜像分子。本文提出的研究将通过提供一种简单的直接比较方法，彻底改变新的不对称催化剂（警察分子）的开发方式。这些更好、更清洁的控制化学反应的方法将导致更便宜、更环保的化学品生产，特别是在化学和制药工业的大规模生产中。这对研制新药的人非常有用。