Advances in Catalytic Aerobic Oxidations by Activation of Dioxygen-Monooxygenase Enzymes and Biomimetics

Monooxygenases are not only some of the most versatile machineries in our lives, but also some of the most explored enzymes in modern organic synthesis. They provide knowledge and inspiration on how the most abandoned oxidant, dioxygen, can be activated and utilized to deliver selective oxidations. This review presents an outline in the mechanisms that Nature uses to succeed in these processes and recent indicative examples on how chemists use this knowledge to develop selective oxidation protocols based on dioxygen as the terminal oxidant.