Selective C-H bond functionalization with engineered heme proteins: new tools to generate complexity

C-H functionalization is an attractive strategy to construct and diversify molecules. Heme proteins, predominantly cytochromes P450, are responsible for an array of C-H oxidations in biology. Recent work has coupled concepts from synthetic chemistry, computation, and natural product biosynthesis to engineer heme protein systems to deliver products with tailored oxidation patterns. Heme protein catalysis has been shown to go well beyond these native reactions and now accesses new-to-nature C-H transformations, including C-N and C-C bond forming processes. Emerging work with these systems moves us along the ambitious path of building complexity from the ubiquitous C-H bond.