Bols Group

The Bols Group works with organic chemistry at the interface with biochemistry, with research in enzyme inhibitors, sustainable chemistry and artificial enzymes.

Research focus

The group works in the area of organic chemistry interfacing with biochemistry.

Organic synthesis plays a crucial role in most projects, while physical organic chemistry and biochemical testing are minor yet essential parts.

The group’s current research areas are:

  • enzyme inhibitors
  • sustainable chemistry
  • artificial enzymes

Group leader

Research areas

Green house gas capture

Methane (CH4), a greenhouse gas that is estimated 86 times more potent than carbon dioxide (CO2), is released on a large scale by many industrial and agricultural processes.

Capturing this environmentally damaging waste product and storing and/or converting into liquid fuels or other value-added products is an attractive solution that combats the issue of atmospheric methane pollution and provides an environmentally sustainable alternative to mining fossil fuels.

We have found that cyclodextrins can bind methane (Figure 1) and have a research program directed at maximizing this property so that it can become applicable for a CH4 capture technology.

Figure 1: Methane binds to a-cyclodextrin forming a complex (left) that crystallizes out (top right). When the crystals are dissolved in water CH4 is released (middle and bottom right). The picture is from our recent inner cover on New J. Chem.

CH-activation with artificial enzymes

A holy grail in sustainable chemistry research is to find a catalyst that can convert methane to methanol. We are working on making artificial enzymes that can do oxidation2 and CH-activation and convert methane to methanol.

Figure 2: Methane is emitted from livestock. New modified cyclodextrin derivatives made via an efficient synthesis of Lings tetrol display improved methane binding. The picture is from our front cover on Org. Biomol. Chem.

New synthetic methodologies for manipulation of cyclodextrins

Cyclodextrins are pivotal in our artificial enzyme and gas capture projects, where cyclodextrin modification is required.

However cyclodextrin modification is difficult and new and improved methods are required.

In this project we attempt to develop new high yielding methodologies for cyclodextrin modification (Figure 2).

Protonation state of cocaine in action

The (in)fameous drug Cocaine is an amine - yet little is known about the role and importance of this base when Cocaine is bound to its target.

Knowledge about this interaction will give important insight that can be used to make drugs versus cocaine abuse.

In this project we use a chemical biology methodology developed in our group to investigate the protonation state of cocaine analogues  when bound to the target protein.

Techniques

Organic synthesis

The group’s main scientific tool is synthesis. The group prepares new or known molecules in the laboratory and uses state-of-the-art analytical tools, such as NMR and MS, to identify products.

Enzyme inhibition and kinetics

Many projects involve studying natural or artificial enzymes. The group studies catalysis by following enzyme reactions using colorimetry with a plate reader.

Projects

Projects in the group are within three main areas:

  • Medicinal chemistry
    Projects focus on inhibitors of human acid β-glycosidase as potential drugs for lysosomal storage disease. A typical project involves synthesis of one or more inhibitor candidates and possible testing.
  • Sustainable chemistry
    Projects focus on improving methods for converting carbohydrate biomass into useful compounds.
  • Artificial enzymes
    Projects focus on improving artificial enzymes built from cyclodextrins. A typical project involves synthesis of one or more enzyme candidates and testing for catalysis.

Contact

Mikael Bols
Professor