The First Biocatalytic Carbon-Silicon Bond Formation

Abstract

Linking two worlds: As a further expansion of the biocatalytic repertoire, carbene insertion into Si-H bonds catalyzed by the heme protein cytochrome c was recently reported. This new biocatalyst holds great promise because it enables the highly selective incorporation of silicon into molecules without prior protection of existing functional groups.

Keywords: biocatalysis; biotransformations; cytochrome P450; enzymes; protein engineering.