Mechanism biological epoxidation

J. P. Collman, T. Kodadek, S. A. Raybuck, J. I. Brauman, L. M. Papazian, Mechanism of oxygen atom transfer from high valent iron porphyrins to olefins Implications to the biological epoxidation of olefins by cytochrome P-450, /. Am. Chem. Soc. 107 (1985) 4343. 

Epoxides are found in thousands of biological molecules and constitute vital functional entities. They can impart localized structural rigidity, confer cytotoxicity through their role as alkylating agents, or act as reactive intermediates in complex synthetic sequences. The widespread occurrence of epoxides is contrasted by only a handful of aziridines that are known to date. In this chapter we would like to introduce the different mechanisms by which enzymes produce epoxides. 

Sodium hexakis(formato)molybdate, 3, 1235 Sodium hypochlorite alkene epoxidation manganese catalysts, 6,378 Sodium ions biology, 6, 559 selective binding biology, 6, 551 Sodium molybdate, 3, 1230 Sodium peroxoborate, 3,101 Sodium/potassium ATPase, 6, 555 vanadate inhibition, 3, 567 Sodium pump, 6, 555 mechanism, 6, 556 Sodium pyroantimonate, 3, 265 Sodium salts... 

The reaction of metabolically generated polycyclic aromatic diol epoxides with DNA Ua vivo is believed to be an important and critical event in chemical carcinogenesis Cl,2). In recent years, much attention has been devoted to studies of diol epoxide-nucleic acid interactions in aqueous model systems. The most widely studied reactive intermediate is benzo(a)pyrene-7,8-diol-9,10-epoxide (BaPDE), which is the ultimate biologically active metabolite of the well known and ubiquitous environmental pollutant benzo(a)pyrene. There are four different stereoisomers of BaPDE (Figure 1) which are characterized by differences in biological activities, and reactivities with DNA (2-4). In this review, emphasis is placed on studies of reaction mechanisms of BPDE and related compounds with DNA, and the structures of the adducts formed. 

The existence of isomeric polycyclic aromatic diol epoxide compounds provides rich opportunities for attempting to correlate biological activities with the physico-chemical reaction mechanisms, and conformational and biochemical properties of the covalent DNA adduct8 which are formed. 

Although technical chlordane is a mixture of compounds, two metabolites — heptachlor epoxide and oxychlordane — can kill birds when administered through the diet (Blus et al. 1983). These two metabolites originate from biological and physical breakdown of chlordanes in the environment, or from metabolism after ingestion. Heptachlor can result from breakdown of cis- and trans-chlordane, eventually oxidizing to heptachlor epoxide oxychlordane can result from the breakdown of heptachlor, m-chlordane, tra .s-chlordane, or fram-nonachlor (Blus et al. 1983). Heptachlor epoxide has been identified in soil, crops, and aquatic biota, but its presence is usually associated with the use of heptachlor, not technical chlordane — which also contains some heptachlor (NRCC 1975). Various components in technical chlordane may inhibit the formation of heptachlor epoxide or accelerate the decomposition of the epoxide, but the actual mechanisms are unclear (NRCC 1975). 

Morisseau C, Hammock BD. Epoxide hydrolases mechanisms, inhibitor designs, and biological roles. Annu Rev Pharmacol Toxicol 2005 45 311-333. 

During the last three decades, peroxo compounds of early transition metals (TMs) in their highest oxidation state, like TiIV, Vv, MoVI, WV1, and Revn, attracted much interest due to their activity in oxygen transfer processes which are important for many chemical and biological applications. Olefin epoxidation is of particular significance since epoxides are key starting compounds for a large variety of chemicals and polymers [1]. Yet, details of the mechanism of olefin epoxidation by TM peroxides are still under discussion. 

In the pH range of 5 - 10, H20-catalyzed hydrolysis is the predominant mechanism (see Fig. 10.11, Pathway b), resulting in the formation of the (8R,9R)-dihydrodiol (10.133, Fig. 10.30). Thus, aflatoxin B1 exo-8,9-epoxide is possibly the most reactive oxirane of biological relevance. Such an extreme reactivity is mostly due to the electronic influence of 0(7), as also influenced by stereolectronic factors, i.e., the difference between the exo- and endo-epoxides. The structural and mechanistic analogies with the dihydro-diol epoxides of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (Sect. 10.4.4) are worth noting. 

Thomas H, Timms CW, Oesch F. Epoxide hydrolases molecular properties, induction, polymorphisms and function. In Ruckpaul K, Rein H, eds. Frontiers of Bio transformation. Vol. II. Principles, Mechanisms and Biological Consequences of Induction. London Taylor Francis, 1990. 

Biological systems possess a number of mechanisms for protection against toxic foreign compounds, some of which have already been mentioned. Thus, metabolic transformation to more polar metabolites, which are readily excreted, is one method of detoxication. For example, conjugation of paracetamol with glucuronic acid and sulfate facilitates elimination of the drug from the body and diverts the compound away from potentially toxic pathways (see chap. 7). Alternatively, a reactive metabolite may be converted into a stable metabolite. For example, reactive epoxides can be metabolized by epoxide hydrolase to stable dihydrodiols. 

The mechanisms and the regio- and stereo-selectivity of epoxide reactions have been reviewed.39 The review also covers the role of epoxides in biologically important reactions. The achiral and chiral catalysts used in these reactions are discussed. A second review40 discusses the ring-opening reactions of oxiranes with carbon nucleophiles. 

Epothilones A and B. The discovery that the epothilone family of macrocyclic lactones, isolated from culture extracts of a myxobacterium, had a Taxol -like mechanism of antitumour activity propelled them, almost overnight, to the forefront of both the biological sciences and synthetic chemistry communities. This interest has culminated in several total syntheses of the epothilones and numerous approaches. While the C12-C13 epoxide has been successfully introduced using macrocyclic control, acyclic stereocontrol and, in particular, the aldol reaction have been used to assemble the Ci-C section. Several possible aldol disconnections are shown in Scheme 9-56, and these will be considered in turn. 

Metabolic oxidation of 7-methylbenz[c]acridine occurs at the methyl substituent and at the 1,2-, 5,6-, 8,9- and 10,11-positions (L.J. Boux et at.. Carcinogenesis, 1983, 4, 1429). Photo-oxidation of 7-methylbenz[c]acridine in methanol is complex, but the identified products involve reaction at the 5,6-position although not tia the epoxide this process is an alternative mechanism for the biological activation of the benzacridine (C.D. Burt et at., J. chem. Soc. Perkin I, 1986, 741). 

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