title: Chemical reactivity considerations in the metabolism of N-heteroaromatics.
abstract: Enzymic carbon hydroxylations in N-heteroaromatics may involve either an electrophilic activated oxygen species (oxene), or a nucleophile (hydroxyl ion, OH-). A consideration of the chemical reactivities of ring systems often allows tentative predictions of likely reaction products with appropriate enzyme systems. e.g. microsomal cytochrome P-450, or cytosolic molybdenum hydroxylases. Pyrroles and related pi-excessive N-heteroaromatics are substrates for electrophilic enzymic ring hydroxylations mediated by cytochrome P-450, but the acidic ring nitrogen in pyrroles is not normally a site for metabolic attack. Pyridines and related pi-deficient N-heteroaromatics are substrates for nucleophilic enzymic ring hydroxylations mediated by molybdenum hydroxylases. The nucleophilic nitrogen in such rings can also be a site for metabolism, affording N-oxides or quaternary N-conjugates as metabolites.
authors.affiliation: Chelsea Department of Pharmacy, King's College London, U.K.
authors.forename: L A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Damani
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D055598:Chemical Phenomena; D002627:Chemistry, Physical; D006571:Heterocyclic Compounds / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D011725:Pyridines / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D006571:Heterocyclic Compounds; D011725:Pyridines