Inside Back Cover: Enantioselective Catalysis by Using Short, Structurally Defined DNA Hairpins as Scaffold for Hybrid Catalysts (Chem. Eur. J. 25/2017)

• Published in: Chemistry : a European journal Vol. 23; no. 25; p. 6221
• Main Authors: Marek, Jasmin J., Singh, Raghvendra P., Heuer, Andreas, Hennecke, Ulrich
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Weinheim Wiley Subscription Services, Inc 02-05-2017
• Subjects: asymmetric catalysis; bioorganic chemistry; Catalysis; Chemistry; cycloaddition; Deoxyribonucleic acid; DNA; molecular modeling; Nucleic acids
• ISSN: 0947-6539; 1521-3765
• DOI: 10.1002/chem.201700923

DNA oligonucleotides that fold into hairpin structures are suitable nucleic acid components for the formation of DNA hybrid catalysts. In combination with a low‐molecular‐weight copper complex, these catalysts induce excellent enantioselectivity in asymmetric Diels–Alder reactions with selectivity values as high as 96% enantiomeric excess (ee). Molecular dynamics simulations revealed that the nucleic acid components adopt a conformation with flexible loops, but a rigid, B‐DNA‐like stem region. More information can be found in the Communication by A. Heuer and U. Hennecke et al. on page 6004 ff.