Cyclodextrin-based catalysts and molecular reactors

Abstract

The naturally occurring cyclodextrins and their derivatives have been developed as miniature reaction vessels, to manipulate the outcomes of chemical transformations at the molecular level. In this manner, the rate of hydrolysis of a phosphate triester has been enhanced by almost five orders of magnitude, and the ratios of products obtained from electrophilic aromatic substitution reactions, from competing reactions to give indigoid dyes, and from nitrile oxide cycloadditions have all been changed, by factors of up to 3500 times.