Titanium(iv)-folded single-chain polymeric nanoparticles as artificial metalloenzyme for asymmetric sulfoxidation in water

Abstract

Intrachain Ti^IV-oxazoline complexation together with hydrophobic interaction triggered the self-folding of an oxazoline-containing single polymeric chain in water. The formed Ti^IV-folded single-chain polymeric nanoparticles (SCPNs) acted as metalloenzyme-mimetic catalysts in asymmetric sulfoxidation in water owing to their organized, compartmentalized structure, effective site isolation, and also secondary coordination sphere provided by a copolymer backbone. In addition, they also could be facilely recovered for reuse by simple thermo-controlled separation.