Nitrogenase and carboxypeptidase : an organometallic study of biomimetism

• Grant number: 14/22332-8
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• Start date: January 01, 2015
• End date: October 31, 2015
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Chemistry - Organic Chemistry
• Agreement: Coordination of Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (CAPES)
• Principal Investigator: Leandro Helgueira de Andrade
• Grantee: Caterina Gruenwaldt Cunha Marques Netto
• Host Institution: Instituto de Química (IQ). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

This project is based on the idea of bio-mimetics of carboxypeptidase and nitrogenase enzymes. Nitrogenase analogues include the idea of an iron-dinitrogen cluster, which is active in the reaction of nitrogen reduction to ammonia and hydrazine. These products nowadays have an industrial importance, since ammonia is synthesized by the Haber-Bosh process at high temperatures and pressures, and hydrazine is used in the synthesis of heterocyclic compounds. The analogues of carboxypeptidase starts with the design of carboxypeptidase mimics for the controlled and selective hydrolysis of peptides. The mimic is an organometallic compound containing a zinc center and an N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) ligand as described throughout the project.This project is highly interdisciplinary, since the concept of biomimetic uses knowledge of biochemistry, inorganic and organic chemistry and physical-chemistry, resulting in a complete study of a diverse concept. (AU)