Na+/K+ switch of enantioselectivity in G-quadruplex DNA-based catalysis

Abstract

Here we found that the enantioselectivity of G-quadruplex DNA-based Diels–Alder reaction can be switched by just changing Na⁺ to K⁺, which is ascribed to the structural transformation of the G-quadruplex from antiparallel to hybrid-type. By tuning the ratio of Na⁺/K⁺, the enantioselectivity of the Diels–Alder reaction could be switchable and shows much more sensitive to K⁺ than to Na⁺.