Enzymatic Nitrogen Insertion into Unactivated C-H Bonds. 2022

Soumitra V Athavale, and Shilong Gao, and Anuvab Das, and Sharath Chandra Mallojjala, and Edwin Alfonzo, and Yueming Long, and Jennifer S Hirschi, and Frances H Arnold
Division of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California91125, United States.

Selective functionalization of aliphatic C-H bonds, ubiquitous in molecular structures, could allow ready access to diverse chemical products. While enzymatic oxygenation of C-H bonds is well established, the analogous enzymatic nitrogen functionalization is still unknown; nature is reliant on preoxidized compounds for nitrogen incorporation. Likewise, synthetic methods for selective nitrogen derivatization of unbiased C-H bonds remain elusive. In this work, new-to-nature heme-containing nitrene transferases were used as starting points for the directed evolution of enzymes to selectively aminate and amidate unactivated C(sp3)-H sites. The desymmetrization of methyl- and ethylcyclohexane with divergent site selectivity is offered as demonstration. The evolved enzymes in these lineages are highly promiscuous and show activity toward a wide array of substrates, providing a foundation for further evolution of nitrene transferase function. Computational studies and kinetic isotope effects (KIEs) are consistent with a stepwise radical pathway involving an irreversible, enantiodetermining hydrogen atom transfer (HAT), followed by a lower-barrier diastereoselectivity-determining radical rebound step. In-enzyme molecular dynamics (MD) simulations reveal a predominantly hydrophobic pocket with favorable dispersion interactions with the substrate. By offering a direct path from saturated precursors, these enzymes present a new biochemical logic for accessing nitrogen-containing compounds.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D009584 Nitrogen An element with the atomic symbol N, atomic number 7, and atomic weight [14.00643; 14.00728]. Nitrogen exists as a diatomic gas and makes up about 78% of the earth's atmosphere by volume. It is a constituent of proteins and nucleic acids and found in all living cells.
D002384 Catalysis The facilitation of a chemical reaction by material (catalyst) that is not consumed by the reaction. Catalyses
D006418 Heme The color-furnishing portion of hemoglobin. It is found free in tissues and as the prosthetic group in many hemeproteins. Ferroprotoporphyrin,Protoheme,Haem,Heme b,Protoheme IX
D006859 Hydrogen The first chemical element in the periodic table with atomic symbol H, and atomic number 1. Protium (atomic weight 1) is by far the most common hydrogen isotope. Hydrogen also exists as the stable isotope DEUTERIUM (atomic weight 2) and the radioactive isotope TRITIUM (atomic weight 3). Hydrogen forms into a diatomic molecule at room temperature and appears as a highly flammable colorless and odorless gas. Protium,Hydrogen-1
D014166 Transferases Transferases are enzymes transferring a group, for example, the methyl group or a glycosyl group, from one compound (generally regarded as donor) to another compound (generally regarded as acceptor). The classification is based on the scheme "donor:acceptor group transferase". (Enzyme Nomenclature, 1992) EC 2. Transferase

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