Production of (R)-3-pentyn-2-ol through stereoinversion of racemic 3-pentyn-2-ol by Nocardia fusca AKU 2123

First report of Nocardia fusca isolated in humans

Nocardia fusca was first described in 1983; however, to date, no report of human infection has been done. In this work, we report the first case of N. fusca isolation during an episode of acute exacerbation in a patient with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The extent of the role of N. fusca as human pathogen still has to be determined.

Biocatalytic deracemisation of aliphatic β-hydroxy esters: Improving the enantioselectivity by optimisation of reaction parameters

Optically pure aliphatic β-hydroxy esters were prepared from their racemates by deracemisation using the biocatalyst Candida parapsilosis ATCC 7330. High optical purity (up to >99 %) and good yields (up to 71 %) of the product secondary alcohols were obtained. This study highlights the importance of optimization of reaction conditions using ethyl-3-hydroxybutanoate as the model substrate to improve the enantioselectivity (enantiomeric excess from 9 to 98 %). The present study emphasises the broad substrate scope of the biocatalyst towards deracemisation. This is the first report of Candida parapsilosis ATCC 7330-mediated deracemisation of various alkyl-3-hydroxybutanoates to produce either the (R)-enantiomers (methyl, ethyl, propyl, butyl, t-butyl, allyl-3-hydroxybutanoates) or (S)-enantiomers (pentyl, iso-amyl and iso-propyl-3-hydroxybutanoates).

Non-sequential processes for the transformation of a racemate into a single stereoisomeric product: proposal for stereochemical classification

Non-sequential processes which allow the transformation of a racemate into a single stereoisomeric product without the occurrence of an "undesired" isomer are classified according to their underlying stereochemistry. A re-definition of the term "de-racemization" is proposed.

Dynamic resolution and stereoinversion of secondary alcohols by chemo-enzymatic processes

To overcome the maximum 50% yield limitation of classical resolution methods, deracemization processes involving a racemization step (dynamic resolution) or a prochiral intermediate (stereoinversion) have been developed. The use of transition metal complexes as racemizing agents, in combination with an enzymatic reaction, has been successfully extended to the deracemization of a number of simple or functionalized sec-alcohols. A two-enzyme process has been also investigated for their sequential or simultaneous deracemization. Other prominent results arise from an (apparently general) oxidoreduction process catalyzed by a single whole-cell microorganism.