McNaughton, B.R.; Rovis, T.

J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2019, 141, 4815-4819, 10.1021/jacs.9b01596

Reliable design of artificial metalloenzymes (ArMs) to access transformations not observed in nature remains a long-standing and important challenge. We report that a monomeric streptavidin (mSav) Rh(III) ArM permits asymmetric synthesis of α,β-unsaturated-δ-lactams via a tandem C–H activation and [4+2] annulation reaction. These products are readily derivatized to enantioenriched piperidines, the most common N-heterocycle found in FDA approved pharmaceuticals. Desired δ-lactams are achieved in yields as high as 99% and enantiomeric excess of 97% under aqueous conditions at room temperature. Embedding a Rh cyclopentadienyl (Cp*) catalyst in the active site of mSav results in improved stereocontrol and a 7-fold enhancement in reactivity relative to the isolated biotinylated Rh(III) cofactor. In addition, mSav-Rh outperforms its well-established tetrameric forms, displaying 11–33 times more reactivity.

Kaiser, E.T.; Sasaki, T.

J. Am. Chem. Soc. 1989, 111, 380-381, 10.1021/ja00183a065

n/a

Lerner, R.A.

Science 1989, 243, 1184-1188, 10.1126/science.2922606

Monoclonal antibodies have been induced that are capable of catalyzing specific hydrolysis of the Gly-Phe bond of peptide substrates at neutral pH with a metal complex cofactor. The antibodies were produced by immunizing with a Co(III) triethylenetetramine (trien)-peptide hapten. These antibodies as a group are capable of binding trien complexes of not only Co(III) but also of numerous other metals. Six peptides were examined as possible substrates with the antibodies and various metal complexes. Two of these peptides were cleaved by several of the antibodies. One antibody was studied in detail, and cleavage was observed for the substrates with the trien complexes of Zn(II), Ga(III), Fe(III), In(III), Cu(II), Ni(II), Lu(III), Mg(II), or Mn(II) as cofactors. A turnover number of 6 x 10(-4) per second was observed for these substrates. These results demonstrate the feasibility of the use of cofactor-assisted catalysis in an antibody binding site to accomplish difficult chemical transformations.