The Organic Chemistry of Enzyme-Catalyzed Reactions

Written for advanced undergraduate and graduate students as well as professionals in organic
and medicinal chemistry and biochemistry, this unique text illuminates the "black box" of
enzyme-catalyzed reactions by showing how enzymes are simply highly efficient organic
chemists. Enzyme-catalyzed reactions are essential for the design of enzyme inhibitors in the
pharmaceutical and agricultural industries, and of growing importance for process development
in the chemical and biotechnology industries. Following a general introduction to the role of
enzymes as catalysts, each chapter describes the organic reaction mechanisms that are used by
enzymes to catalyze a particular family of organic transformations. The compilation includes a
vast number of drawings to illustrate structures and mechanisms, and focuses on one or two
examples of enzymes that catalyze the particular chemistry for that transformation. The Organic
Chemistry of Enzyme-Catalyzed Reactions is not a book on enzymes, but rather the general
mechanisms used by enzymes. Extensive references refer to the many experiments that have
helped to elucidate enzyme mechanisms. Chemical model studies as an aid in mechanistic
studies are also discussed, as are the design of haptens and the generation of catalytic antibodies
("designer enzymes"). Problem sets and solutions are provided to check the reader's understanding of the principles described.


* Shows how enzyme-catalyzed reactions are simply
efficient organic reaction
* Emphasizes the connection between organic reaction mechanisms and enzyme mechanisms
* Explains how enzymes can accelerate the rates of chemical reactions with high specificity
* Uses selected enzymes to demonstrate general mechanisms of enzyme-catalyzed reaction
* Illustrated with a vast array of clearly drawn structures, schemes, and figures
* Includes an extensive bibliography on enzyme mechanisms
* Describes approaches to the design of enzyme inhibitors
* Covers catalytic antibody design and mechanisms
* Provides problem sets and solutions for each chapter
* Written in an informal and engaging style