# Building Molecules by a Self‐Replicator That Catalyzes Acyl Hydrazone Formation

## TL;DR

A self-replicating molecule can now catalyze bond-forming reactions, expanding its ability to build complex chemicals.

## Contribution

The self-replicator now catalyzes acyl hydrazone formation, adding bond-forming to its previously known bond-breaking catalytic abilities.

## Key findings

- The self-replicator efficiently catalyzes acyl hydrazone formation between hydrazides and aldehydes.
- This catalytic promiscuity supports the development of evolvable systems combining metabolism and self-replication.

## Abstract

Catalysis of bond‐forming reactions is key to the development of life‐like chemical systems as it allows to build up new material, increasing molecular complexity and diversity. Integrating catalysis with other characteristic properties of life, like self‐replication, represents an important advance in the transition from chemistry to life. We have previously shown that catalysis can emerge in synthetic self‐replicators that form through supramolecular assembly. However, the organocatalyzed reactions were solely bond‐breaking so far. We now report the successful expansion of the catalytic promiscuity of these systems to bond‐forming reactions. We show that a self‐replicator efficiently catalyzes acyl hydrazone formation between different hydrazides and aldehydes. This marks an important step towards the further development of evolvable systems that combine metabolic activity with self‐replication.

A self‐replicator efficiently catalyzes the formation of acyl hydrazone bonds between a set of different substrates. In addition to previously reported (bond‐breaking) catalytic activity, this renders the self‐replicator highly promiscuous, which is a good starting point for Darwinian experiments en route to de‐novo life.