Consequences of cooperativity in racemizing supramolecular systems.

Saluting the sergeant: Phg-BTA (see scheme) cooperatively self-assembles into helical aggregates and shows unprecedented racemization behavior in the presence of base. In thermodynamically controlled conditions, the addition of a small amount of chiral auxiliary to this mixture results in a deracemization reaction and a final enantiomeric excess of 32 %. A theoretical model is presented to understand in detail the results obtained.

Lactone size dependent reactivity in Candida antarctica lipase B: a molecular dynamics and docking study.

Size matters: Lactones have extensively been studied as monomers in enzymatic polymerization reactions. Large lactones showed an unexpectedly high reactivity in these reactions. A combination of docking and molecular dynamics studies have been used to explain this high reactivity in terms of productive binding due to the transoid nature of the ester bond in these substrates.