Artificial enzyme activity from cyclodextrins with cyanohydrins on the secondary rim

The synthesis of two per-O-methylated cyclodextrins with one or two α-hydroxypropionitrile groups attached to the secondary rim is described. The two new cyanohydrins are found to catalyse the hydrolysis of 4-nitrophenyl β-D-glucopyranoside in a buffer solution at pH 8.0 with a rate acceleration of up to 1770.