Enzymatic activation of alkanes: constraints and prospective

The alkane activation by biological catalysts (enzymes and whole cells) is reviewed in order to identify their potential of application in the petrochemical industry. Enzymes such as cytochrome P450, methane monooxygenase and alkane hydroxylase are able to catalyze the alkane oxidation to the corresponding alcohol. The range of alkanes recognized as substrates covers up to C24, depending on the enzymatic system used. The enzymatic alkane activation is identified as a selective and efficient method to produce more valuable products as alcohols, aldehydes and acids. The limitations detected are the low catalytic activity for this type of enzymes, mainly due to the slow electron transfer velocity; and the continuous demand for electrons, which means a usually expensive stoichiometric supply of cofactors. Strategies to overcome these problems are mentioned. The use of molecular biology techniques and the discovery of new enzymes with better characteristics are the main tools to obtain suitable biocatalysts for industrial purposes. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.