19F NMR applications in chemical biology

Although fluorine plays only a minor role in biology, its physicochemical properties have proven incredibly useful in the design of analogues of biologically important molecules. Analysis of organofluorine compounds by 19F NMR was largely confined to synthetic chemists but this technique is finding increasing applications in biological systems. The fluorine atom with its relative small size and 100% natural isotope abundance represents an attractive option for biological NMR studies. In this paper we review the recent literature highlighting the exploitation of 19F NMR in a range of research areas at the interface of chemistry and biology.