Selective enzymatic oxidations : monooxygenases

Oxidation reactions are probably the most difficult to achieve in industrial chemistry. However, organisms provide fascinating enzymatic systems that use oxygen from the air as an oxidant for insertions of oxygen atoms into various substrates - including chemically very inert ones such as alkanes - with astonishing selectivities (regio-, chemo-, stereo-selectivity). This lecture presents the structures and mechanisms of action of cytochrome P450 monooxygenases and flavin hydroxylases (one- or two-component), as well as a number of biotechnological applications involving these enzymes: synthesis of hydrocortisone, pravastine, antibiotics, halogenated compounds and biodegradation of toxic compounds.