Using X-ray free-electron lasers for spectroscopy of molecular catalysts and metalloenzymes

The metal centres in metalloenzymes and molecular catalysts are responsible for the rearrangement of atoms electrons during complex chemical reactions, they enable selective pathways charge spin transfer, bond breaking/making formation new molecules. Mapping electronic structural changes at sites reactions gives a unique mechanistic insight that has been difficult to obtain date. development X-ray free-electron lasers (XFELs) enables powerful probes structure dynamics advance our understanding metalloenzymes. ultrashort, intense tunable XFEL pulses spectroscopic studies metalloenzymes, under functional conditions real time. In this Technical Review, we describe current state art spectroscopy XFELs highlight some techniques currently development. With more facilities starting operation planning or construction phase, capabilities expected, including high repetition rate, better pulse control advanced instrumentation. For first time, it will be possible make real-time movies solution, while taking place. offer unprecedented capabilities, with their tunable, short pulses. This Review discusses future use probing time conditions.