6: Oxidation

This chapter complements the previous chapter and covers enzyme classes that catalyse oxidation reactions, including ketoreductases, enoate reductases, oxidases, haloperoxidases, P450 monooxygenases, Baeyer–Villiger monooxygenases, dioxygenases, lipooxygenases, and halogenases. The chapter is divided into separate sections, each detailing the oxidation of a specific functional group, including alkanes, alkenes, alcohols, aldehydes, ketones, amines, imines, sulfides, sulfoxides and the oxidative dealkylation of ethers. Each section begins with a review of chemical methods of carrying out each transformation, followed by a description of the enzyme classes that are capable of catalysing the transformation. The substrate scope of each enzyme class, including its chemo-, regio- and stereoselectivity, is discussed and a general mechanism for the enzyme-catalysed reaction is presented. Where appropriate, strategies for co-factor recycling are also included. This should give the reader a good understanding of when and how to carry out oxidations using enzymes.