Biocatalytic methods for selective C–H oxyfunctionalization reactions are rapidly emerging and hold significant potential to streamline complex molecule synthesis. This review highlights key advances in this area developed within the past decade.
The use of enzyme-mediated
reactions has transcended ancient food
production to the laboratory synthesis of complex molecules. This
evolution has been accelerated by developments in sequencing and DNA
synthesis technology, bioinformatic and protein engineering tools,
and the increasingly interdisciplinary nature of scientific research.
Biocatalysis has become an indispensable tool applied in academic
and industrial spheres, enabling synthetic strategies that leverage
the exquisite selectivity of enzymes to access target molecules. In
this Outlook, we outline the technological advances that have led
to the field’s current state. Integration of biocatalysis into
mainstream synthetic chemistry hinges on increased access to well-characterized
enzymes and the permeation of biocatalysis into retrosynthetic logic.
Ultimately, we anticipate that biocatalysis is poised to enable the
synthesis of increasingly complex molecules at new levels of efficiency
and throughput.
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