Structural-functional modeling of non-heme oxygenases

The nature designed metal-containing oxygenases to perform the most difficult oxidation reactions, such as the alkane oxidation, including the oxidation of methane, the most inert alkane. The enzymatic oxygenation, which proceeds under physiological conditions, i.e., in the absence of severe chemical treatment, is characterized by high efficiency and selectivity as yet unattainable in chemical processes. A search for chemical systems reproducing the prominent features of oxygenases is based on the structural-functional modeling of the active sites of these biocatalysts. Recent studies have shown that it is, in principle, possible to design biomimetic catalysts having as good characteristics as biocatalysts.