title: Autocatalysis and organocatalysis with synthetic structures.
abstract: The discovery of ribozymes led to the proposal of an RNA world, where a single type of molecule was supposedly capable of self-replication and chemical catalysis. We show here that both autocatalysis and organocatalysis can be engineered into a synthetic structure. The compound is shown to selectively accelerate its own formation and catalyze either hydrogenation or nucleophilic addition to alpha,beta-unsaturated aldehydes. The observed reactivity indicates that the components of a purported pre-RNA world conceivably include smaller organic molecules.
authors.affiliation: The Skaggs Institute for Chemical Biology and Department of Chemistry, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA.
authors.forename: Seiji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kamioka
authors.forename: Dariush
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ajami
authors.forename: Julius
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rebek
mesh_terms: D000171:Acrolein / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000737:chemistry; D002384:Catalysis; D019281:Dimerization; D006827:Hydantoins / Q000737:chemistry; D006860:Hydrogen Bonding; D007700:Kinetics; D009930:Organic Chemicals / Q000737:chemistry; D012313:RNA / Q000235:genetics*; D016337:RNA, Catalytic / Q000235:genetics*; D012997:Solvents; D019032:Spectrometry, Mass, Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption-Ionization; D013698:Templates, Genetic; D013890:Thiourea / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D006827:Hydantoins; D009930:Organic Chemicals; D016337:RNA, Catalytic; D012997:Solvents; D012313:RNA; D000171:Acrolein; D013890:Thiourea; C012843:cinnamaldehyde