Computational Mechanistic Investigations of Biocatalytic Nitrenoid C−H Functionalizations via Engineered Heme Proteins

Engineered heme proteins were developed to possess numerous excellent biocatalytic nitrenoid C−H functionalizations. Computational approaches such as density functional theory (DFT), hybrid quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics (QM/MM), and molecular dynamics (MD) calculations were employed to help understand some important mechanistic aspects of these heme nitrene transfer reactions. This review summarizes advances of computational reaction pathway results of these biocatalytic intramolecular and intermolecular C−H aminations/amidations, focusing on mechanistic origins of reactivity, regioselectivity, enantioselectivity, diastereoselectivity as well as effects of substrate substituent, axial ligand, metal center, and protein environment. Some important common and distinctive mechanistic features of these reactions were also described with brief outlook of future development.