Bioorganometallic Chemistry has become a mature area of science and is comprehensively covered by leading experts in this book. Naturally occuring bioorganometallic complexes, such as vitamin B12 and recently discovered iron and nickel hydrogenases, including a possible role of the latter in the geochemical theory of the origin of life, are considered. The possible formation of carbene complexes of cytochrome P450 enzymes in various metabolisms of xenobiotics is also discussed. The bioorganometallic chemistry is considered to provide not only organometallic receptors such as polynuclear organometallic macrocycles for biologically interesting molecules but also ferrocene-peptide bioconjugates giving a peptidomimetic basis for protein folding. The medicinal properties of organometallic compounds are reviewed, with notable applications in the treatment and diagnosis of cancer and in the treatment of viral, fungal, bacterial and parasitic infections. Therefore the reader will get a balanced view of this rapidly developing and promising area.

Bioorganometallic Chemistry has become a mature area of science and is comprehensively covered by leading experts in this book. Naturally occuring bioorganometallic complexes, such as vitamin B12 and recently discovered iron and nickel hydrogenases, including a possible role of the latter in the geochemical theory of the origin of life, are considered. The possible formation of carbene complexes of cytochrome P450 enzymes in various metabolisms of xenobiotics is also discussed. The bioorganometallic chemistry is considered to provide not only organometallic receptors such as polynuclear organometallic macrocycles for biologically interesting molecules but also ferrocene-peptide bioconjugates giving a peptidomimetic basis for protein folding. The medicinal properties of organometallic compounds are reviewed, with notable applications in the treatment and diagnosis of cancer and in the treatment of viral, fungal, bacterial and parasitic infections. Therefore the reader will get a balanced view of this rapidly developing and promising area.

In this book the first three chapters outline the chemistry of nickel and heme largely associated with anaerobic life and believed to represent reactions which took place some 3-4x109years ago. Nickel has disappeared from the chemistry of man. The fascinating detail of the "primitive" catalysts is of interest to industrial society since very simple feed-stock is used, hydrogen, carbon monoxide and sulphate for example. The fourth chapter switches attention to a metal which became valuable later in evolution, copper, and which is involved with the use of dioxygen. It also has extremely interesting catalytic sites in enzymes. The essence of the volume lies in an appreciation of metallo- enzymes and their changing roles as the environment changed.