Alcohol dehydrogenase and its simple inorganic models

Despite the long and extensive research, the mechanism of action of zinc-dependent alcohol dehydrogenase on the molecular level is still uncertain. The present state of knowledge of the mechanism of catalytic action of the alcohol dehydrogenase is presented, with the emphasis on the organization of the active site. The other part of the review is devoted to the description of model complexes with particular attention paid to the structural aspect of model studies. Attempts to create an artificial system exhibiting dehydrogenase activity are also described.