Ground-State Electron Transfer as an Initiation Mechanism for Biocatalytic C-C Bond Forming Reactions

J Am Chem Soc. 2021 Jun 30;143(25):9622-9629. doi: 10.1021/jacs.1c04334. Epub 2021 Jun 11.

Abstract

The development of non-natural reaction mechanisms is an attractive strategy for expanding the synthetic capabilities of substrate promiscuous enzymes. Here, we report an "ene"-reductase catalyzed asymmetric hydroalkylation of olefins using α-bromoketones as radical precursors. Radical initiation occurs via ground-state electron transfer from the flavin cofactor located within the enzyme active site, an underrepresented mechanism in flavin biocatalysis. Four rounds of site saturation mutagenesis were used to access a variant of the "ene"-reductase nicotinamide-dependent cyclohexanone reductase (NCR) from Zymomonas mobiles capable of catalyzing a cyclization to furnish β-chiral cyclopentanones with high levels of enantioselectivity. Additionally, wild-type NCR can catalyze intermolecular couplings with precise stereochemical control over the radical termination step. This report highlights the utility for ground-state electron transfers to enable non-natural biocatalytic C-C bond forming reactions.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Alkenes / chemistry
  • Alkylation
  • Bacterial Proteins / chemistry
  • Bacterial Proteins / genetics
  • Biocatalysis
  • Cyclization
  • Cyclopentanes / chemical synthesis*
  • Dinitrocresols / chemistry
  • Directed Molecular Evolution
  • Electrons*
  • Hydrocarbons, Halogenated / chemistry
  • Ketones / chemical synthesis*
  • Mutation
  • Oxidoreductases / chemistry*
  • Oxidoreductases / genetics
  • Protein Engineering
  • Stereoisomerism
  • Zymomonas / enzymology

Substances

  • Alkenes
  • Bacterial Proteins
  • Cyclopentanes
  • Dinitrocresols
  • Hydrocarbons, Halogenated
  • Ketones
  • 4,6-dinitro-o-cresol
  • Oxidoreductases