Romero Evan O, Saucedo Anthony T, Hernández-Meléndez José R, Yang Di, Chakrabarty Suman, Narayan Alison R H
Life Sciences Institute & Department of Chemistry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States.
JACS Au. 2023 Jul 19;3(8):2073-2085. doi: 10.1021/jacsau.3c00263. eCollection 2023 Aug 28.
Biocatalysis is becoming an increasingly impactful method in contemporary synthetic chemistry for target molecule synthesis. The selectivity imparted by enzymes has been leveraged to complete previously intractable chemical transformations and improve synthetic routes toward complex molecules. However, the implementation of biocatalysis in mainstream organic chemistry has been gradual to this point. This is partly due to a set of historical and technological barriers that have prevented chemists from using biocatalysis as a synthetic tool with utility that parallels alternative modes of catalysis. In this Perspective, we discuss these barriers and how they have hindered the adoption of enzyme catalysts into synthetic strategies. We also summarize tools and resources that already enable organic chemists to use biocatalysts. Furthermore, we discuss ways to further lower the barriers for the adoption of biocatalysis by the broader synthetic organic chemistry community through the dissemination of resources, demystifying biocatalytic reactions, and increasing collaboration across the field.
在当代合成化学中，生物催化正成为一种越来越有影响力的目标分子合成方法。酶所赋予的选择性已被用于完成以前难以处理的化学转化，并改善通往复杂分子的合成路线。然而，到目前为止，生物催化在主流有机化学中的应用进展缓慢。部分原因是一系列历史和技术障碍，这些障碍阻碍了化学家将生物催化用作一种与其他催化模式具有同等效用的合成工具。在这篇展望文章中，我们讨论了这些障碍以及它们如何阻碍了酶催化剂在合成策略中的应用。我们还总结了已经使有机化学家能够使用生物催化剂的工具和资源。此外，我们讨论了通过资源传播、揭开生物催化反应的神秘面纱以及加强该领域的合作，进一步降低广大合成有机化学界采用生物催化的障碍的方法。
