The goal of this project is to develop a biomimetic catalyst by making a zinc-containing molecular imprint polymer (MIP). The basis for our design is hydrolytic enzymes such as carboxypeptidase A and the template we have developed incorporates a transition state analog (TSA) for a simple hydrolysis reaction bound to a zinc complex. We have synthesized a tridentate imidazole containing ligand, bound zinc to it and are using nitrophenyl phosphate as the TSA. Synthesis of the template molecule and MIP is complete, and preliminary kinetic data with crude product shows evidence of Michaelis-Menten kinetics. We are in the process of repeating these measurements with purified template and polymer.

Development of a biomimetic hydrolysis catalyst consisting of a zinc containing molecular imprint polymer

253rd National Meeting (2017)

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