# Bacterial Transformation of Adamantane and Its Derivatives: Regioselectivity and Biocatalytic Approaches

## TL;DR

This paper reviews how bacteria can selectively modify adamantane, a stable hydrocarbon, in eco-friendly ways for drug and material development.

## Contribution

The paper provides a comprehensive review of bacterial biocatalytic approaches for the selective transformation of adamantane and its derivatives.

## Key findings

- Bacteria like Pseudomonas strains and actinobacteria can selectively hydroxylate adamantane at tertiary C–H bonds.
- Biocatalytic methods offer high specificity, mild conditions, and environmental benefits over traditional chemical processes.
- Identifying and enhancing microbial systems could lead to new drugs and materials that are hard to synthesize otherwise.

## Abstract

Adamantane is a rare type of molecule found in oil that resembles a tiny, rigid cage made of carbon atoms. The material’s robust structure renders it a valuable component in modern medicines and materials. However, its inherent resistance to modification or breakdown by traditional chemical methods poses a significant challenge. This study explores how certain bacteria can assist scientists in making useful changes to adamantane in gentle, eco-friendly ways. The review summarises recent findings regarding the selective addition of oxygen to adamantane by bacteria, a process that results in the formation of novel substances with potential applications in the fields of drug development and advanced materials. The study identifies the most effective types of bacteria for effecting these changes and explores ways to enhance their performance. The findings indicate that bacterial methodologies exhibit superior specificity and environmental compatibility in comparison to conventional chemical processes. The enhancement of comprehension regarding these natural methodologies has the potential to facilitate the production of medicines and materials that would otherwise be challenging to create, thereby conferring benefits to healthcare, environmental safety and technology. This knowledge facilitates the development of innovative products inspired by nature.

Adamantane is a unique tricyclic hydrocarbon with a rigid, diamond-like structure. It is widely distributed in natural hydrocarbons and has significant potential applications in medicine, materials science, and pharmaceuticals. Despite its high chemical stability, biocatalytic methods using cytochrome P450 enzymes and microorganisms, such as Pseudomonas strains and actinobacteria, demonstrate high regional specificity in the hydroxylation and modification of adamantane, primarily at tertiary C–H bonds. This review summarises the latest data on the mechanisms and pathways of the microbial transformation of adamantane and its derivatives, including the key metabolites and enzymatic systems involved. The advantages of biocatalysis—namely, high selectivity, environmental friendliness and mild reaction conditions—are highlighted as a promising approach to the synthesis of functional adamantane derivatives for use in the development of innovative drugs and materials. The limitations of current methods and prospects for development are also discussed, including searching for new microorganisms and regulating enzymatic activity to increase the efficiency of biotransformation.