Can wholly synthetic macromolecules mimic the molecular recognition properties of natural proteins? To address this challenge, we are applying ideas from the field of dynamic covalent chemistry with the aim of developing a simple and rapid method to achieve this goal. We are developing libraries of macromolecules which through their utlization of dynamic covalent bonds can 'reconfigure' their structures in response to the addition of templates. These libraries�which we have termed polymer-scaffolded dynamic combinatorial libraries (PS-DCLs)�represent a conceptually new class of dynamic combinatorial library. Here we show that PS-DCLs can respond to the addition of macromolecular templates including proteins, reconfiguring their structures to enchance their binding affinities towards their templates. This work constitutes an important step towards the development of the PS-DCL concept as a general route for the discovery of macromolecular receptors which may find application in the selective recognition of proteins.

Making synthetic macromolecular receptors using dynamic covalent chemistry

247th National Meeting (2014)

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