110 - A New Strategy for Engineering One-pot, Multi-step Reaction Sequences with Catalyst Recovery in Pure Form

Abstract

In biological systems, chemical processes are controlled via the combination of numerous simultaneous catalytic reactions, often in cascades, mediated by enzymes. To date, practitioners of chemical catalysis have been relegated to the use of simple catalytic reactions in a single reaction vessel in most cases. Here we show that complex, multi-step reactions can be sequentially steered in a single reaction vessel by using an array of catalytic sites on traditional solid supports in combination with superparamagnetic nanoparticles. This methodology allows for excellent control over the reacting system, with the ability to steer a reaction down a multitude of pathways, all while permitting recovery of the individual catalysts after the reaction, allowing reuse in subsequent sequences.