Enantioselective ester hydrolysis catalyzed by beta-cyclodextrin conjugated with beta-hairpin peptides

Designed cyclodextrin-peptide conjugates, which have one or two beta-hairpin peptides, have been synthesized as catalysts for ester hydrolysis. One or two beta-hairpin peptides were located at the primary hydroxyl group side of beta-cyclodextrin so as to arrange two histidine residues that act as a general acid and a general base catalysts and provide the substrate recognition subsite. Kinetic studies revealed that the two-beta-hairpin peptide was more effective than that of the one-beta-hairpin peptide for substrate recognition.