Enzymes in Action: Green Solutions for Chemical Problems(v. 33 NATO Science Partnership Subseries: 1)

This is a survey of a modern development in organic chemistry. It is clear that bioreagents demand that organic chemists think in a different way. If they do so, they will open up new avenues of exciting, new chemistry that will permit problems to be solved in an elegant way. The first section covers the concepts necessary to understand enzymes in molecular operations. The second section covers heteroatom enzyme chemistry, with considerable attention being given to the use of enzymes in the detoxification of chemical warfare agents and their application in environmental problems. The final section highlights the strategic use of enzymes in organic chemistry. The term "green chemistry" is appropriate, since enzyme mediated processes occur under mild, environmentally benign conditions, and enzymes enable chemists to perform new chemical operations that would otherwise be difficult to achieve at all.

Table of Contents:
Preface. Part I: Use of Enzymes in Organic Chemistry; General Aspects and Development of Methodology. 1. Bio- and Chemo-Catalytic Deracemisation Techniques; U.T. Strauss, K. Faber. 2. Enzyme Assisted Routes to Bioactive Molecules Selective Transformations Using Lipases; P. Andersch, et al. 3. Molecular Basis for Empirical Rules that Predict the Stereoselectivity of Hydrolases; A.N.E. Weissfloch, R.J. Kazlauskas. 4. Functional Group Transformations Mediated by Whole Cell Strategies for the Efficient Synthesis of Optically Pure Chiral Intermediates; N.J. Turner. 5. Recent Advances on Bioreductions Mediated by Baker's Yeast and Other Microorganisms; E. Santaniello, et al. 6. Enzymatic Aminolysis and Ammonolysis Reactions; V. Gotor. Part II: Enzymes in Heteroatom Chemistry. 7. Enantioselective Oxidations Catalyzed by Peroxidases and Monooxygenases; S. Colonna, et al. 8. Hydrolytic Enzymes in the Synthesis of Non-racemic Heteroorganic Compounds with a Stereogenic Centre on the Heteroatom; P. Kielbasinski, M. Mikolajczyk. Part III: Enzymes in Degradation of Environmental Contaminants and Detoxification of Chemical Warfare Agents. 9. Biodegradation of Hydrolyzed Chemical Warfare Agents by Bacterial Consortia; J.J. DeFrank, et al. 10. Biodegradation of Organophosphorus Nerve Agents by Surface Expressed Organophosphorus Hydrolase; W. Chen, et al. 11. Active Site Modifications of Organophosphorus Hydrolase for Improved Detoxification of Organophosphorus Neurotoxins; J.K. Grimsley, et al. 12. Hydrolysis of Organophosphorus Compounds by Bacterial Prolidases; T.-C. Cheng, J.J. DeFrank. 13. Ancillary Function of Housekeeping Enzymes: Fortuitous Degradation of Environmental Contaminants; R.S. Gold, et al. 14. Field-Deployable Amperometric Enzyme Electrodes for Direct Monitoring of Organophosphate Nerve Agents; A. Mulchandani, et al. 15. Environmental Biocatalysis; S. Varfolomeyev, S. Kalyuzhnyi. Part IV: Strategic Use of Enzymes in Molecular Synthesis. 16. Biocatalytic Synthesis of Alkaloids and Carbohydrates: an Update; T. Hudlicky. 17. Bioconversion of Plant Materials: Lipids, Proteins and Carbohydrates Surface Active Compounds from Renewable Resources; B. Aha, et al. 18. Enzymatic Regioselective Transformations in Natural Products; M. Ferrero, V. Gotor. 19. Stereoselective Biocatalytic Formation of Cyanohydrins, Versatile Building Blocks for Organic Synthesis; A. van der Gen, J. Brussee. 20. Enzymes in Polymers and Polymers from Enzymes; B.J. Kline, et al. 21. Application of Enzymes in Synthetic Strategy; B. Zwanenburg, A.J.H. Klunder. 22. Green Solutions for Chemical Challenges Biocatalysis in the Synthesis of Semi-Synthetic Antibiotics; A. Bruggink.