Halogenation Enzymes

Libby RD, Thomas JA, Kaiser LW et al (1982) Chloroperoxidase halogenation reactions. Chemical versus enzymic halogenating intermediates. J Biol Chem 257 5030-5037... 

Haloperoxidases have been shown to transform alkenes by a formal addition of hypohalous acid to produce halohydrins. The reaction mechanism of enzymatic halogenatitHi has been debated for some time and it is now accepted that it proceeds via a halonium intermediate [1770, 1771], similar to the chemical formation of halohydrins (Scheme 2.228). The former species is derived from hypohalous acid or molecular halogen, which is in turn produced by the enzyme via oxidation of halide [1772]. In support of this, a HOCl-adduct of Fe -protoporphyrin IX was identified as a direct enzyme-halogen intermediate involved in chloroperoxidase-catalyzed halogenaticHi [1773]. 

Nucleophilic substitution is one of a variety of mechanisms by which living systems detoxify halogenated organic compounds introduced into the environment Enzymes that catalyze these reactions are known as haloalkane dehalogenases The hydrolysis of 1 2 dichloroethane to 2 chloroethanol for example is a biological nude ophilic substitution catalyzed by a dehalogenase... 

Heme-dependent haloperoxidases generate HOX as reactive species from H2O2 and X, which represents an X+ equivalent capable of undergoing electrophilic addition at electron-rich centers [270,271]. Aprototype biocatalyst of this group is the chloroperoxidase from Caldariomyces Jumago [272]. In many natural systems, such enzymes are responsible for the halogenation of electron-rich aromatic cores. 

In vanadium-dependent haloperoxidases, the metal center is coordinated to the imidazole system of a histidine residue, which is similarly responsible for creating hypochlorite or hypobromite as electrophilic halogenating species [274]. Remarkably, a representative of this enzyme class is capable of performing stereoselective incorporation of halides, as has been reported for the conversion of nerolidol to various snyderols. The overall reaction commences through a bromonium intermediate, which cyclizes in an intramolecular process the resulting carbocation can ultimately be trapped upon elimination to three snyderols (Scheme 9.37) [275]. 

Several cyditol derivatives of varying ring size, for example, (69)/(70), have been prepared based on an enzymatic aldolization as the initial step. Substrates carrying suitably installed C,H-acidic functional groups such as nitro, ester, phosphonate (or halogen) functionalities made use of facile intramolecular nucleophilic (or radical) cyclization reactions ensuing, or subsequent to, the enzyme-catalyzed aldol addition (Figure 10.27) [134—137]. 

Finally, the presence in human post-mortem brain tissue of the active metabolite of diazepam, desmethyldiazepam, raised some curiosity and frank alarm (Sangameswaran et al. 1986). At the time of its discovery in the brain it was thought that there was no enzyme system capable of producing such halogenated compounds and that its presence in the brain reflected dietary intake from an environment contaminated by overuse of its parent compound. However, its discovery in stored brain tissue which had been obtained before the synthesis of the benzodiazepines allayed these fears. It is now thought possible that some benzodiazepines, including desmethyldiazepam, occur naturally and that they are taken in as part of a normal diet (Table 19.5). 

Type of Enzyme Group Organism Halogen Reference... 

Burkholderia cepacia strain 2CBS is able to degrade ort/jo-halogenated benzoates by dioxygenation to catechol with the elimination of halide and decarboxylation. The enzyme contains a ferredoxin-and a Rieske-type [2Fe-2S] center. These could be distinguished on the basis of their EPR spectra, and the results were compared with those for other [2Fe-2S] clusters (Riedel et al. 1995). 

These are multicomponent enzymes that catalyze dioxygenation with the loss of the halogen and the carboxyl groups, and are discussed in Chapter 9, Part 1. 

Aerobic degradation of chlorinated arene hydrocarbons, including the important group PCBs, and chlorobenzoates that are produced from them as metabolites, is generally initiated by dihy-droxylation of the rings to dihydrodiols followed by dehydrogenation to catechols. Halide may be lost simultaneously and for 2-halogenated benzoates, both halide and carboxyl. Salient aspects are summarized, and attention drawn to selected aspects of enzyme inhibition. 

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