title: Linking structural dynamics and functional diversity in asymmetric catalysis.
abstract: Proteins, the functional molecules in biological systems, are sophisticated chemical devices that have evolved over billions of years. Their function is intimately related to their three-dimensional structure and elegantly regulated by conformational changes through allosteric regulators and a number of reversible or unidirectional post-translational modifications. This functional diversification in response to external stimuli allows for an orderly and timely progression of intra- and extracellular events. In contrast, enantioselective catalysts generally exhibit limited conformational flexibility and thereby exert a single specific function. Exploiting the features of conformationally flexible asymmetric ligands and the variable coordination patterns of rare earth metals, we demonstrate dynamic structural and functional changes of a catalyst in asymmetric catalysis, leading to two distinct reaction outcomes in a single flask.
authors.affiliation: Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan.
authors.forename: Akihiro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nojiri
authors.forename: Naoya
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kumagai
authors.forename: Masakatsu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shibasaki
mesh_terms: D002384:Catalysis; D015394:Molecular Structure; D013237:Stereoisomerism