IMIDAZOLE AND CATALYSIS: A PERFFECT MATCH

The imidazole (IMZ) ring presents several chemical properties that turns it into a versatile acid-basic/nucleophilic catalyst. The discovery of the biological properties of histidine (amino acid with IMZ ring) instigates the study of this class of compounds. It is found in nature in several enzymes such as chymotrypsin and RNAses due to these properties. This review is focused on the catalytic role of IMZ towards the cleavage of acyl and phosphate esters and is structured in the following topics: chemical properties, biological catalysis (RNAses, phosphohistidines, chymotrypsin), intermolecular and intramolecular catalytic models and polymer and nanomaterials-based catalysts. Besides we discuss some properties such as tautomerism, stability, basicity and spectroscopic behavior, correlating with its reactivity in deacylation and dephosphorylation reactions. The main reaction mechanisms and kinetics promoted by IMZ as an acid, basic and nucleophilic catalysts are explored showing some examples. In addition, the importance of IMZ in enzymatic sites and their mechanisms and further combining properties of IMZ with some materials such as (bio)polymers, graphene, and cyclodextrines are covered. In this sense, with the wide IMZ data presented here, we are evidencing the perfect match between IMZ and catalysis.