Figure 1. Cytochrome P450-based approach for selective fluorination of organic molecules.
(a) Hydroxyl groups are introduced (via direct oxygen insertion) or exposed (via hydroxylation/demethylation) in a target scaffold using a P450 monooxygenase and substituted for fluorine using a nucleophilic fluorinating agent. DF: deoxofluorination. (b) Different fluorinated derivatives of a molecule of interest are obtained using P450 variants with different regioselectivities.