Mimicking enzymatic process

The terms mimicking enzymatic processes or chemical models of enzymes have no monosemantic and exact definitions. In some cases mimicking involves preceding a specific fast chemical reaction catalyzed by an enzyme in mild conditions. In other cases, attempts to construct chemical structures similar to an enzyme active site and to imitate different steps of an enzymatic process are made. Depending on the knowledge of the detailed structure and action mechanism of a target enzyme, starting positions of chemist are also diverse. 

At present, the following general steps of mimicking enzymatic processes may be formulated. 

In the mimicking of an enzymatic process there is no need to copy the structure of protein and coenzyme groups and all stages of this process. In the course of evolution, Nature created enzymes in specific conditions in certain media and utilized certain building materials . Besides chemical functions, enzymes bear many other obligations, serving as units of complicated enzymatic and membrane ensembles. These conditions have not always been the most favorable for catalytic properties and the stability of enzymes. 

The natural DNA repair process (enzymatic) is mimicked by unsensitized irradiation of pyr-imidinedione dimers as, for example, compound (40 R = 2,5-dimethoxybenzyl) yielding the uracil derivatives (41 R = H and 2,5-dimethoxybenzyl) <93JA850>. 

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