Scottish researchers find natural enzyme that forms carbon-fluorine bonds
from the put-THAT-in-the-toolbox dept.
According to a press release (21 March 2002), researchers at the University of St Andrews in Scotland have discovered a natural fluorinase enzyme, a biological catalyst which bonds carbon to fluorine. The discovery was published in the 21 March 2002 issue of Nature. An understanding of how natural enzymes handle a highly-reactive element such as fluorine would have important implications for the development of artificial molecular machines systems.
March 26th, 2002 at 8:53 PM
Flurocarbons?
Flurocarbons are often used, although this use is diminishing given evidence for ozone layer damage, in refrigeration technology because they are so biologically and chemically inert. Can this enzyme be used as a benign way to break flurocarbons up when refrigerators and air conditioners are recycled?