Gas Evolution as a Tool to study Reaction Kinetics under Biomimetic Conditions

The rational development of transition metal-based catalysts requires detailed kinetic analysis of catalytic reactions to aid catalyst design. Whereas kinetic data is relatively easy to obtain for catalysts used in synthetic applications, it is more challenging to study catalytic reactions for potential use in living systems, a rapidly growing field. In such applications, substantial concentrations of salts and biomolecules are present in the reaction medium, hampering the use of typically employed solution-phase analytical techniques. In this study, we explored the suitability of gas evolution as a probe to study kinetics under biomimetic conditions. As proof of concept, we demonstrate that the progress of two transition metal catalyzed bioorthogonal chemical reactions can be accurately monitored, regardless of the complexity of the medium. As such, we introduce a protocol to gain more insight into the performance of a catalytic system under biologically relevant conditions to progress iterative catalyst development for in vivo applications.