Biomimetic catalysis

The field of biomimetic chemistry encompasses a wide variety of subfields, including biomimetic catalysis, bioinspired self-assembly, and biomimetic reactions in total synthesis. Reviewed herein are select examples of biomimetic catalysis using macrocycles and polymeric catalysts. Such catalysts have been used in a variety of synthetic reactions, including several examples of Diels-Alder cycloadditions. Moreover, biomimetic catalysis has influenced the development of the highly active research area of organocatalysis. Several examples of the connections between biomimetic catalysis and organocatalysis are also discussed.