Description of the thesis topic

Approaching the exceptional efficiency and selectivity of enzymes is the greatest challenge of bioinspired catalysis. Such artificial catalysts are indeed an attractive solution to several challenges facing our society today (energy, climate change), due the ability of native metalloenzymes to catalyze very difficult reactions (eg: CO2 conversion, CH4 oxidation, N2 fixation), under mild conditions. However, artificial bioinspired catalysts usually only reproduce the first coordination sphere of the active site. We therefore develop caged catalysts aiming at reproducing the enzymatic cavity.
This project will target bioinspired catalysts confined in an amino acid-decorated cavity for CO2 conversion. These catalysts will be minimalistic models of carbonic anhydrase (CA), an important class of enzymes that catalyze CO2 hydration.
This goal will be reached by:
1) building unprecedented caged Zn catalysts displaying a cavity decorated with key amino acid moieties,
2) developing challenging reactions for the conversion of CO2 into valuable building blocks.

Work Context

PhD thesis (3 years) funded by the A*Midex fundation. Research will be conduced at the "Institut des Sciences Moléculaires de Marseille", iSm2.
Team: Dr. C. Colomban, Dr. Y. Cotelle et Prof. Alexandre Martinez
References:
1. C. Colomban and co., Chem. Commun. 2023, 59, 4288
2. Y. Cotelle and co., ACS Cent. Sci. 2021, 7, 1874
3. A. Martinez and co., JACS Au. 2024, 4, 1966

Additional Information

The candidate should have a master degree in chemistry (organic, coordination or supramolecular chemistry or related, in the French system or equivalent), and should demonstrate a background in organic synthesis. He or she should be motivated, creative and with a good team spirit.