Enzyme mimics, chiral catalysis

One of the first applications of dendrimers as organometallic hosts was their use as enantioselective catalysts. Indeed, dendrimers that are functionalized with transition metals in the core potentially can mimic the properties of enzymes. Brunner introduced the term dendrizymes for core-functionalized transition metal catalysts which might be used in enantioselective catalysis. The dendrimeric organometallic complex shown in Figure 34 is an example of such a dendrizyme inside which the chiral dendritic branches create a chiral pocket around the transition metal. 

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