Bio-inspired catalysts

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To meet the rising demand for enantiopure compounds, heterogeneous, homogeneous, and enzymatic catalysis have developed independently. While all three methods have led to viable industrial processes, homogeneous and enzymatic catalysis are more widely utilized and often seen as complementary. Despite advancements in structural, computational, and mechanistic studies, a universal method for optimizing catalytic processes remains elusive, leading to a predominant trial-and-error approach in catalyst discovery. Recently, organocatalysis and artificial metalloenzymes have gained renewed attention as complementary fields. Artificial metalloenzymes combine an active but unselective organometallic component with a macromolecular host. The concept, suggested by Kaiser and Whitesides in the late 1970s, faced skepticism due to perceived incompatibility between proteins and organometallic catalysts, hindering research at this intersection. However, since 2000, interest in artificial metalloenzymes for enantioselective catalysis has surged. This book presents the current state of the art and future potential across five well-structured chapters, including a summary by G. Roelfes, B. Feringa, and others on utilizing DNA as a macromolecular host for enantioselective catalysis.