Heteroatom–Heteroatom Bond Formation in Natural Product Biosynthesis

Natural products that contain functional groups with heteroatom-heteroatom linkages (X–X, where X = N, O, S, and P) are a small yet intriguing group of metabolites. The reactivity and diversity of these structural motifs has captured the interest of synthetic and biological chemists alike. Functional groups containing X–X bonds are found in all major classes of natural products and often impart significant biological activity. This review presents our current understanding of the biosynthetic logic and enzymatic chemistry involved in the construction of X–X bond containing functional groups within natural products. Elucidating and characterizing biosynthetic pathways that generate X–X bonds could both provide tools for biocatalysis and synthetic biology, as well as guide efforts to uncover new natural products containing these structural features.