Recent advances in enzymatic carbon–carbon bond formation

Abstract

Enzymatic carbon–carbon (C–C) bond formation reactions have become an effective and invaluable tool for designing new biological and medicinal molecules, often with asymmetric features. This review provides a systematic overview of key C–C bond formation reactions and enzymes, with the focus of reaction mechanisms and recent advances. These reactions include the aldol reaction, Henry reaction, Knoevenagel condensation, Michael addition, Friedel–Crafts alkylation and acylation, Mannich reaction, Morita–Baylis–Hillman (MBH) reaction, Diels–Alder reaction, acyloin condensations via Thiamine Diphosphate (ThDP)-dependent enzymes, oxidative and reductive C–C bond formation, C–C bond formation through C1 resource utilization, radical enzymes for C–C bond formation, and other C–C bond formation reactions.