Linking Structural Dynamics and Functional Diversity in Asymmetric Catalysis

Proteins, the functional molecules in biological systems, are sophisticated chemical devices that have evolved over billions of years. Their function is intimately related to their three-dimensional structure and elegantly regulated by conformational changes through allosteric regulators and a number of reversible or unidirectional post-translational modifications. This functional diversification in response to external stimuli allows for an orderly and timely progression of intra- and extracellular events. In contrast, enantioselective catalysts generally exhibit limited conformational flexibility and thereby exert a single specific function. Exploiting the features of conformationally flexible asymmetric ligands and the variable coordination patterns of rare earth metals, we demonstrate dynamic structural and functional changes of a catalyst in asymmetric catalysis, leading to two distinct reaction outcomes in a single flask.