Current Understanding toward Isonitrile Group Biosynthesis and Mechanism

Isonitrile group has been identified in many natural products. Due to the broad reactivity of N≡C triple bond, these natural products have valuable pharmaceutical potentials. This review summarizes the current biosynthetic pathways and the corresponding enzymes that are responsible for isonitrile‐containing natural product generation. Based on the strategies utilized, two fundamentally distinctive approaches are discussed. In addition, recent progress in elucidating isonitrile group formation mechanisms is also presented. Isonitrile, a.k.a. isocyanide, is an important functional group found in natural products. Recent progress in elucidating biosynthetic pathways and the corresponding enzymes involved in isonitrile group installation is summarized.