Production of antibody catalysts

Process for producing an antibody catalyst for a chemical reaction, which comprises:

• (1) identifying a substrate represented by formula
• R.sub.1 --X--R.sub.2
• for said reaction;
• (2) selecting a hapten represented by formula ##STR26## wherein X represents nuclei O, S, N, and C and associated bonds which comprise the catalytically active portion of the substrate molecule and Y represents nuclei N, C, and P and associated bonds which comprise the catalytically active portion of the hapten molecule and X and Y are related to each other in that Y has a higher valence state and one or more bonds than X, and wherein Q is selected from the group of substituents consisting of (a) a positive charge, (b) a negative charge, (c) polarity, (d) non-polarity, and (e) substantial bulk bonded to Y wherein R.sub.1, R.sub.2, R.sub.1 ' and R.sub.2 ' represent the residual chemical groups of the substrate and hapten which do not participate in the catalytic events, and R.sub.1 and R.sub.1 ', and R.sub.2 and R.sub.2 ' are, respectively substantially similar to each other which corresponds to said substrate;
• (3) stimulating an immune response by said hapten;
• and
• (4) isolating antibodies from said immune response which are catalytically active for said chemical reaction.