Stereokinetics / the optimisation of catalytic asymmetric reactions

许多有用的化学物质是由分子构成的，这些分子可以以两种形式存在，不同之处在于它们的原子排列是镜像，很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两个版本。这些镜像分子通常在许多化学反应中表现相同，但当与生命系统相互作用时，它们的行为往往非常不同，因为生命系统也是由镜像分子组成的。就像握手一样，右手对右手的接触与右手对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一个分子的左手或右手版本。我们需要能够决定哪一种版本是最好的药物，然后找出一种不同时制造另一种版本的方法。在我们的项目中，我们正在研究第二个问题。在我们的化学反应中，我们给了分子变成左旋或右旋的机会。就像汽车停在t形路口一样，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，它将站在十字路口，指挥分子只向一个方向流动，由我们决定向左或向右。警察分子必须能够发出足够强、足够快的信号，以跟上分子交通的流动。当然，每辆车里都应该有一名警察；我们不需要把信号定时弄对，但是对警察来说会很昂贵，所以我们的方法更好。如果我们能制造出更好（更快！）的信号警察分子，我们就能制造出更多我们想要的镜像分子，减少我们不想要的镜像分子。这里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。这些更好和更清洁的控制化学反应的方法将导致更便宜和更环保的化学品制造，特别是在化学和制药工业大规模使用的情况下。这将对人们制造新药非常有用。

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.