Carbon-carbon bond cleavage remains a frequently difficult synthetic task, yet nature is built upon the making and breaking of carbon-carbon bonds through enzyme-catalyzed reactions. One example, 2,4’-dihydroxyacetophenone dioxygenase (DAD), catalyzes the oxidative cleavage of the α-hydroxyketone side-chain of 2,4’-dihydroxyacetophenone (DHAP). While this enzyme has only been cursorily investigated, the DAD reaction bears notable similarity to the cleavage performed by the better understood, acireductone dioxygenase (ARD’).

Throughout history carbon monoxide (CO) has been thought of as a toxic gas.¹ However, over the past 60 years CO was found to be endogenous with distinct physiological functions and a large therapeutic potential.^{2, 3 4} As a therapeutic, CO modulates the immune system, exerts redox control in the mitochondria, acts as a cytoprotective, and is a vasodilator.