Artificial enzymes. The importance of being selective.

摘要: Hydroxylating enzymes, such as cytochrome P-450, are immensely important biologically — they mediate the selective insertion of oxygen into C-H bonds unreactive molecules steroids and prostaglandins, creating key intermediates in synthesis drugs hormones. An artificial P-450 has been designed which shows a high level positional selectivity modifying its substrate steroid. Moreover, reaction exhibits true catalytic turnover substrate. Both attributes necessary for an effective enzyme.