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Programmable late-stage C−H bond functionalization enabled by integration of enzymes with chemocatalysis

Nature Catalysis volume 4, pages 385–394 (2021)Cite this article

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Abstract

New chemo- and biocatalytic methodology is important for the future sustainable synthesis of essential molecules. Transition metal catalysis enables the late-stage C−H functionalization of some complex molecular scaffolds, providing rapid routes to valuable products, although this is largely dependent on the availability of electronically or sterically predisposed C−H bonds for selective metalation, leaving certain regioselectivities inaccessible. Unlike metal chemocatalysis, enzymes can catalyse C−H bond functionalization, discriminating between near-identical, non-activated C−H bonds, delivering products with exquisite regioselectivity. However, enzymes typically provide access to fewer functionalities than more divergent chemocatalysis. Here we report programmable, regioselective C−H bond functionalization methodologies for the installation of versatile nitrile, amide and carboxylic acid moieties through integration of halogenase enzymes with palladium-catalysed cyanation and subsequent incorporation of nitrile hydratase or nitrilase enzymes. Using two- or three-component chemobiocatalytic systems, the regioselective synthesis of complex target molecules, including pharmaceuticals, can be achieved in a one-pot process operable on a gram scale.

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Fig. 1: Overview of site-selective C−H functionalization cascades.
Fig. 2: Scope of the regioselective integrated chemo- and biocatalytic C−H bond cyanation.
Fig. 3: Scope of the regioselective integrated chemo- and biocatalytic C−H bond amidation.
Fig. 4: Scope of the regioselective integrated chemo- and biocatalytic C−H bond carboxylation.

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Data availability

Sequences of enzymes used in the study are provided in the Supplementary Information. The original materials and data that support the findings of this study are available within the paper and its Supplementary Information or can be obtained from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

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Acknowledgements

We acknowledge BBSRC (grant BB/R01034X/1), EPSRC and GlaxoSmithKline for support awarded to J.M. We are grateful to L. Bering and A. J. Herbert for helpful discussions. R. Sung and K. Hollywood from Michael Barber Centre for Mass Spectrometry and M. J. Cliff (NMR) are also acknowledged for analytical support. We are also grateful to Prozomix for providing some of the enzymes screened in this study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Manchester Institute of Biotechnology, The University of Manchester, Manchester, UK

    Elliott J. Craven, Jonathan Latham, Sarah A. Shepherd, Imtiaz Khan & Jason Micklefield

  2. Department of Chemistry, The University of Manchester, Manchester, UK

    Elliott J. Craven, Jonathan Latham, Sarah A. Shepherd, Imtiaz Khan, Michael F. Greaney & Jason Micklefield

  3. GlaxoSmithKline Medicines Research Centre, Stevenage, UK

    Jonathan Latham & Alba Diaz-Rodriguez

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  1. Elliott J. Craven
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Contributions

J.M. led the project. E.J.C, J.L., S.A.S., I.K., M.F.G. and J.M. designed experiments. E.J.C. and J.M. co-wrote the paper. E.J.C., J.L., S.A.S., I.K., A.D.-R., M.F.G. and J.M. analysed data and reviewed the manuscript.

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Correspondence to Jason Micklefield.

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Peer review information Nature Catalysis thanks Samik Nanda and the other, anonymous, reviewer(s) for their contribution to the peer review of this work.

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Supplementary Information

Supplementary Methods, Tables 1–5, Figs. 1–135 and References.

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Craven, E.J., Latham, J., Shepherd, S.A. et al. Programmable late-stage C−H bond functionalization enabled by integration of enzymes with chemocatalysis. Nat Catal 4, 385–394 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41929-021-00603-3

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