An artificial enzyme that catalyzes hydrolysis of aryl glycosides

Two cyclodextrin A,D-diacids were synthesized and found to catalyze the hydrolysis of nitrophenyl glycosides with kcat/kuncat of up to 35. The hydrolysis followed Michaelis–Menten kinetics, could be inhibited by compounds binding the cavity, and occurred optimally at pH 7.4.