Enantioselective Friedel–Crafts reactions in water catalyzed by a human telomeric G-quadruplex DNA metalloenzyme

Abstract

A human telomeric G-quadruplex (G4DNA) metalloenzyme, assembled with G4DNA and Cu(2+) ions, can catalyze the enantioselective Friedel-Crafts (F-C) reaction in water with good enantioselectivity (up to 75% ee). Furthermore, we found that the absolute configuration and the enantioselectivity of the product largely depend on the conformation and the sequence of G4DNA.