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Enzyme Mimics

We have recently discovered that a simple macrocyclic amine can attack haloalkanes with dramatically enhanced nucleophilic reactivity. For example, the macrocycle reacts with methylene chloride with a half-life of 2 minutes at 25 °C, a rate that is about 50,000 times faster than that observed with structurally related, linear amines. Physical organic and supramolecular chemistry experiments are currently being conducted with the central goal of identifying the specific factors that produce the large rate enhancements.