Comments on Recent Achievements in Biomimetic Organic Synthesis

• Published in: Angewandte Chemie International Edition Vol. 43; no. 2; pp. 160 - 181
• Main Authors: de la Torre, María C., Sierra, Miguel A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Weinheim WILEY-VCH Verlag 01-01-2004; WILEY‐VCH Verlag
• Subjects: biomimetic synthesis; enzymes; Molecular Mimicry; natural products; Organic Chemicals - chemical synthesis; organic synthesis
• ISSN: 1433-7851; 1521-3773
• DOI: 10.1002/anie.200200545

The appealing beauty of the routes that Nature uses to build natural products is breathtaking and the quest for laboratory syntheses that mimic these routes is longstanding. Since Robert Robinson introduced the concept of biomimetic synthesis in 1917, debates have been conducted about the participation of specific enzymes in every step of the biogenesis of every class of natural product. The successful synthesis of many natural products often follows routes analogous to processes that occur in the living cell with minimum enzyme participation. It should not be concluded, however, that we are only able to imitate biogenetic processes in which enzymes are not involved. Perhaps the most appealing facet of a biomimetic strategy is that it pursues the development of synthetic methodology inspired by biogenesis, even if the mimicked biogenetic route is only hypothetical. Improved biogenetic syntheses could be brought about by artificial enzymes that catalyze specific transformations.
Inspiration or imitation? A biomimetic strategy pursues the development of synthetic methodology that imitates a natural biogenetic process. Not all biosyntheses can be mimicked in vitro. A biomimetic route to a natural product is more likely to be successful when the involvement of enzymes in the biological route being mimicked is low.