Host-guest complexation integrated in chemical reaction networks

Abstract

Nature has proven to be a great source of inspiration for scientific research and technological innovation in various areas: food, medicine, architecture, chemistry, materials, algorithms, and many other fields. At the basis of sophisticated functions associated with life in nature are all kinds of chemical reactions which are mainly regulated by enzymes through molecular recognition of the substrates. Meanwhile, chemical signals are able to tune the catalytic activities of enzymes through noncovalent bonding or structural modification. Concomitantly, the formation of transient structures that are used temporarily, for instance the mitotic spindle, requires the conversion of energy, mainly in the form of high-energy chemical fuels. All of these phenomena combined endow living systems with high responsivity to various stimuli. Inspired by nature, regulating artificial catalysts in chemical reactions by noncovalent bonding, and controlling formation/deformation of supramolecular materials by chemical reactions are attracting researchers’ attention. This thesis integrates chemical reaction networks with host-guest complexation, aiming to bring about some of these advanced properties.