Chemistry 435: Bioinorganic Chemistry

Course Level: 
Fourth Year
Academic Year: 

Introduction. Essential elements in nature; occurrence and biological roles. Naturally occurring ligands and metal binding. Proteins, enzymes, cofactors. Principles of coordination chemistry related to bioinorganic chemistry.

Physical Methods in Bioinorganic Chemistry. These methods will be introduced as needed in the coverage of the descriptive chemistry.

Non-Redox Enzymes. Zn-containing systems (alcohol dehydrogenase, carbonic anhydrase, carboxypeptidase, Zn fingers); phosphate transfer systems.

Uptake and Storage of Metals. Emphasis on Fe.

Dioxygen and Dinitrogen Systems, and Redox Chemistry. Transport, storage, and activation of O2; N2-fixation and the nitrogen cycle; electron-transfer proteins (cytochromes, Fe-S systems, Cu systems); Mo proteins.

Exogeneous Metal Ion Chemistry. Heavy metals in the biosphere; medicinal inorganic chemistry.

Selection of Topics from : Bioinorganic chemistry of (a) alkali and alkaline earth metals, (b) sulfur, (c) Co (vitamin B12, cobalamins), (d) chlorophylls, (e) Ni enzymes, (f) etc.