Molecular crowding, an important feature of the molecular environments in biological cells, was applied to the synthesis of antibody-mimic polymers selective for a group of biologically active compounds, the triazine herbicides. Synthesis of these polymers was conducted using molecular imprinting under molecular crowding conditions, whereby atrazine (a template molecule) was complexed with methacrylic acid (a functional monomer) in the presence of a macromolecular crowding agent (either poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) or polystyrene (PS)) followed by cross-linking with ethylene glycol dimethacrylate. After removal of atrazine from the polymer matrix, the retention properties and selectivity of the resultant polymers were assessed by chromatographic tests. The addition of a crowding-inducing agent resulted in polymers with superior retention properties and excellent selectivity for triazine herbicides, as compared to polymers prepared without addition of a crowding-inducing agent. An imprinted polymer prepared in the presence of PS as a crowding agent exhibited a retention factor for atrazine an order of magnitude larger than that of an imprinted polymer prepared in the absence of a crowding agent. NMR results suggest that the crowding agent is capable of promoting hydrogen bond formation between atrazine and methacrylic acid, which could account for the effect of crowding on molecular imprinting.

The present review outlines recent examples of enzyme-based resolution procedures for amino acids via the hydrolysis of their esters. The resolutions have been achieved by using proteases (alpha-chymotrypsin, subtilisin and other microbial proteases, and sulfhydryl proteases of plant origin) and lipases. Relevant work utilizing yeast and other microbial cells is also included.

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Heterobimetallic supramolecular polymers were prepared by treatment of the supramolecular polymers composed of tris(spiroborate) type molecular connecting modules with a potassium cation. On the other hand, the addition of a barium cation led to dissociation of the supramolecular polymer chain. Modulation of polymer formation was realized by the use of small metal cations as a control factor.

Full circle: New cyclic tris(spiroborate)s were prepared as molecular recognition modules for nanometer-sized cationic guests. These cyclophanes were simply prepared by treating corresponding bis(2,3-dihydroxynaphthalene)s with an equimolar amount of boric acid. The molecular recognition ability of these cyclic spiroborates was estimated in solution and crystal phases by the use of [Ir(tpy(2))](3+) as a typical example of a cationic guest.

Multicomponent construction of the tetrakis(spiroborate) anionic nanocycles was achieved by reacting bis(dihydroxynaphthalene)s with tetrahydroxyanthraquinone in the presence of boric acid in a self-organized manner. These nanocycles exhibited selective molecular recognition behavior toward cationic guests such as methyl viologen derivatives. Formation of a supramolecular ring@ring and a guest@ring@ring structure was observed by combining the anionic nanocycle and the vinylogous analog of cyclobis(paraquat-p-phenylene).

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