Artificial redox coenzymes: biomimetic analogues of NAD(+)

A range of biomimetic analogues of the nicotinamide nucleotide coenzymes NA D(P)(H) have been developed based on the structure of a triazine dye templa te. These biomimetic redox coenzymes are relatively straightforward and ine xpensive to synthesise and display NAD(+)-like activity with different dehy drogenases, despite their apparently minimal structural similarity to the n ative coenzyme NAD(+). Horse liver alcohol dehydrogenase oxidises butan-1-o l, using the most active biomimetic coenzyme (Nap 1), with a k(cat) value a n order of magnitude lower and a K-m for the coenzyme two orders of magnitu de higher than those using native NAD(+). The enzymatically reduced biomime tic coenzymes may be reoxidised by phenazine methosulfate. We believe that these coenzymes may find applications in biotransformations and biosensors, and in the development of biomimetic catalysts where the redox enzyme itse lf is replaced by a synthetic binding site.