Groups: Sanders group website
Telephone: 01223 336411
E-mail: jkms@cam.ac.uk
We are interested in molecular recognition, aiming to uncover and exploit the rules governing non-covalent interactions. Hydrophobic, π–π, donor–acceptor, metal– ligand and hydrogen bonding interactions are used to create new supramolecular systems that may have useful recognition, catalytic or photophysical properties. Our building blocks include peptides and metalloporphyrins, and our products include macrocycles, rotaxanes, catenanes and nanotubes.
Inspired by the mammalian immune system, we developed the idea of dynamic combinatorial chemistry. We create a mixture of building blocks and combine them using bond-forming reactions under thermodynamic equilibrating conditions. Despite the complexity of the reaction mixture, the optimum structure — which may be unpredictable — will be formed and can be isolated and identified. We can use templates to direct the formation of their best possible receptor, or we can use self-templating to create the optimum folded structure. Shown above is the synthesis of a "catenane": this unpredictable but fascinating structure consists of two interlocked rings that are not covalently connected.
We have recently discovered a new class of supramolecular nanotubes that bind C60 and and ammonium ion pairs, and that may also have other interesting properties.
Ion pairs and C60 as simultaneous guests in supramolecular nanotubes, Chem. Eur. J. (2010) 16, 81
A donor–acceptor dynamic combinatorial library in water, Chem. Commun., (2009), 419
Two-phase dynamic combinatorial discovery of a spermine transporter, Chem. Commun., (2009), 3708
Dynamic combinatorial synthesis of a catenane in water, Proc. Natl Acad. Sci. USA, (2009), 106, 10466
Coordination polymers based on aluminum(III) porphyrins, Inorg. Chem., (2008), 47, 8721
An unexpected receptor for C70, Angew. Chemie Intl. Edn., (2008), 47, 2689
Hydrogen-bonded helical nanotubes, Angew. Chemie Intl. Edn. , (2007), 46, 194 and 2338
Dynamic combinatorial chemistry, Chemical Reviews, (2006), 106, 3652