Chapter 2: Bioinspired Catalysts of Non-heme Iron Oxygenases

Selective oxidations of natural products and pharmaceuticals have attracted attention from the viewpoint of shortening synthetic routes, but this requires regioselective and stereospecific oxidation of the carbon skeletons containing multiple C–H and C═C bonds. These selective oxidations are now enabled by bioinspired catalysts mimicking the function of non-heme iron oxygenases. Their synthetic applications have been achieved by addition of carboxylic acids and greatly improved the product yields. In this chapter, three topics related to bioinspired complexes are described. First, O₂-activation by various non-heme iron oxygenases is introduced. Second, H₂O₂ activation and oxidation of C–H and C═C bonds by the bioinspired complexes are shown. Third, synthetic applications of the bioinspired complexes to selective oxidations of C–H and C═C in the presence of carboxylic acids are described.