Amplified Rate Acceleration by Simultaneous Up-Regulation of Multiple Active Sites in an Endo-Functionalized Porous Capsule

Using the hydrolysis of epoxides in water as a model reaction, the effect of multiple active sites on Michaelis-Menten compliant rate accelerations in a porous capsule is demonstrated. The capsule is a water-soluble Ih-symmetry Keplerate-type complex of the form, [{Mo(VI)6O21(H2O)6}12{Mo(V)2O4(L)}30](42-), in which 12 pentagonal "ligands," {(Mo(VI))Mo(VI)5O21(H2O)6}(6-), are coordinated to 30 dimolybdenum sites, {Mo(V)2O4L}(1+) (L = an endohedrally coordinated η(2)-bound carboxylate anion), resulting in 20 Mo9O9 pores. When "up-regulated" by removal of ca. one-third of the blocking ligands, L, an equal number of dimolybdenum sites are activated, and the newly freed-up space allows for encapsulation of nearly twice as many substrate guests, leading to a larger effective molarity (amplification), and an increase in the rate acceleration (k(cat)/k(uncat)) from 16,000 to an enzyme-like value of 182,800.