Minimalistic peptidic scaffolds harbouring an artificial carbene-containing amino acid modulate reductase activity.

Inspired by the boom of new artificial metalloenzymes, we developed an Fmoc-protected histidinium salt (Hum) as N-heterocyclic carbene precursor. Hum was placed solid-phase peptide synthesis into short 7-mer peptides. Upon iridation, the metallo-peptidic construct displayed activity in catalytic hydrogenation that outperforms small molecule analogues and which is dependent on the peptide sequence, a typical feature of metalloenzymes.

Direct, Catalytic α-Alkylation of -Heterocycles by Hydroaminoalkylation: Substrate Effects for Regiodivergent Product Formation.

Saturated -heterocycles are prevalent in pharmaceutical and agrochemical industries, yet remain challenging to catalytically alkylate. Most strategies for C-H activation of these challenging substrates use protected amines or high loadings of precious metal catalysts. We report an early transition-metal system for the broad, robust, and direct alkylation of unprotected amine heterocycles with simple alkenes.