Organic catalysts and ligands derived from amino acids and peptides

Abstract

Amino acids and peptides have emerged as versatile organic catalysts and ligands owing to their unique structural diversity, biocompatibility, inherent chirality, and eco-friendly nature. Their applications span diverse fields, including asymmetric catalysis, metal complexation, and material science. The unique self-assembling properties of peptides are harnessed to create β-turn structures, foldamers, and nanotubes. The inherent chirality of amino acids and peptides is particularly valuable in asymmetric catalysis, enabling the development of highly stereoselective reactions crucial for pharmaceutical and fine chemical synthesis. Their ability to self-assemble into complex architectures also opens avenues for designing novel materials with tailored properties. Furthermore, the eco-friendly and biocompatible nature of these biomolecules aligns with the principles of green chemistry, making them ideal candidates for sustainable and environmentally benign processes. Synthetic amino acids and peptides hold tremendous promise as enzyme-like catalysts, capable of mimicking natural enzymatic systems to achieve remarkable catalytic efficiency and stereoselectivity. By leveraging the precise control over structure and functionality provided by synthetic modifications, researchers can create catalysts that rival or surpass traditional systems in performance. These advancements underline the potential of amino acids and peptides to revolutionize sustainable chemical processes, offering an innovative approach to addressing challenges in catalysis and material science. This review summarizes the advances in this domain, focusing on research published between 2018 and 2025 including selected amino acid examples from a broader body of research.