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The biology of named reactions

25 February 2017 - a review reviewed

Lin, McCarty and Liu have authored an interesting review in Angewandte titled "The enzymology of Organic Transformations" (DOI). It is of course well known that synthetic organic reactions exist with a biological enzymatic counterpart but this review exposes the true scale, especially for the so-called named reactions. Reactions described in the review are the Claisen condensation, Michael addition ,Morita-Baylis-Hillman Reaction[, Henry reaction and the Ugi reaction (!).

In the case of Pictet-Spengler Condensation it is sad to learn that the Pictet-Spenglerases are apparently named after the frauds who stole their invention in the first place. Dieckmann cyclases and Diels-Alderases share their fate.