Harnessing the Power of P450 Enzymes A Chemical Auxiliary-Based Approach to Predictable P450 Oxidations at Inactivated Carbon-Hydrogen Bonds

Enantioselective hydroxylation of one specific methylene in the presence of many similar groups is debatably the most challenging chemical transformation. Although chemists have recently made progress towards the hydroxylation of inactivated C-H bonds, enzymes like P450s (CYPs) remain unsurpassed in specificity and scope. The substrate promiscuity of many P450s is desirable for synthetic applications; however, the inability to predict the products of these enzymatic reactions and the poor activity and stability of these enzymes is impeding advancement.;In chapter 2 of this thesis, we evaluate several strategies to improve the activity and stability of CYP3A4. These strategies include the immobilization of CYP3A4 inside molecular hydrogels and silica in addition to the chemical modification of CYP3A4 using various anhydrides. Although none of the strategies we investigate here greatly enhance the catalytic utility of the enzyme, CYP3A4 is shown to be highly tolerant to functionalization at a large number of surface residues and to the presence of extremely high concentrations of silica during catalysis.;Recognizing the potential for enzymes containing small, hydrophobic active sites to catalyze Diels-Alder reactions, chapter 3 describes the design and application of several assays to evaluate the Diels-Alderase activity of CYP2E1. Although the presence of CYP2E1 is not found to increase the rates of the reactions we investigate here, the results do demonstrate that there is an interaction between one or more of the substrates and the enzyme at either the active site or at another binding pocket.;In chapter 4, we evaluate 4 auxiliaries for their ability to direct CYP3A4 oxidations. When linked to substrates, several of these auxiliaries are shown to direct CYP3A4 oxidations at specific C-H bonds. Although the auxiliaries we explore here are found to be limited in utility, several important lessons are learned which we apply to the design of a next generation auxiliary to be discussed in the following chapter.;In chapter 5, we demonstrate the utility of theobromine as a chemical auxiliary to control the selectivity of CYP3A4 reactions. When linked to substrates, inexpensive, achiral theobromine directs the reaction to produce hydroxylation or epoxidation at the fourth carbon from the auxiliary with pro-R facial selectivity. This strategy provides a versatile yet controllable system for regio-, chemo- and stereo-selective oxidations at inactivated C-H bonds and establishes the utility of directing auxiliaries to mediate the activity of highly promiscuous enzymes.;Recognizing the importance of product recovery, chapter 6 evaluates molecularly imprinted polymers for the selective purification of theobromine-containing molecules. When used for the solid-phase extraction, these materials allow for the near complete recovery of theobromine-containing products and starting materials from biocatalytic mixtures. This strategy represents an easily-tailored, effective, and reusable method of improving the recovered yield of theobromine-directed CYP3A4 oxidations.