Nanostructured materials consisting of multiple discrete domains within a single structure mimic, on a simple level, the concept of compartmentalization found in nature. The internal organization of a biological cell enables otherwise incompatible chemical transformations to occur simultaneously and in proximity. Enzymes typically feature a hydrophobic pocket that is specific for a certain set of substrates that shields them from the external aqueous environment. Inspired by nature’s design principles, this presentation will describe the preparation of multicompartment micelles (MCMs) from amphiphilic triblock bottlebrush copolymers using living ring-opening metathesis polymerization and their use as catalyst support for the aldol addition in water. The bottlebrush copolymers consist of a hydrophilic, lipophilic, and fluorophilic domain and self-assemble in aqueous media to yield MCMs with unique morphologies. To demonstrate the catalytic applications of MCMs, chiral L-proline catalyst is confined in the hydrophobic domains for asymmetric aldol addition between 4-nitrobenzaldehyde and cyclohexanone in water. The impact of micelle morphology on the diffusion of substrates is investigated by changing the position, density, and connectivity of the catalyst. A substrate screen shows that the MCMs display high catalytic activity and selectivity in water. Our work facilitates the use of MCMs in multistep incompatible tandem catalysis.

Multicompartment micelles: A new approach to polymer supported catalysis

Fall 2022 abstracts, posters, and presentations will launch in mid-September.

ACS Fall 2022

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.