Lactones 34 [1]. Application of alcohol dehydrogenase from horse liver (HLADH) in enantioselective synthesis of δ- and ɛ-lactones

Biocatalytic characterization of an alcohol dehydrogenase variant deduced from Lactobacillus kefir in asymmetric hydrogen transfer

Hydrogen transfer biocatalysts to prepare optically pure alcohols are in need, especially when it comes to sterically demanding ketones, whereof the bioreduced products are either essential precursors of pharmaceutically relevant compounds or constitute APIs themselves. In this study, we report on the biocatalytic potential of an anti-Prelog (R)-specific Lactobacillus kefir ADH variant (Lk-ADH-E145F-F147L-Y190C, named Lk-ADH Prince) employed as E. coli/ADH whole-cell biocatalyst and its characterization for stereoselective reduction of prochiral carbonyl substrates. Key enzymatic reaction parameters, including the reaction medium, evaluation of cofactor-dependency, organic co-solvent tolerance, and substrate loading, were determined employing the drug pentoxifylline as a model prochiral ketone. Furthermore, to tap the substrate scope of Lk-ADH Prince in hydrogen transfer reactions, a broad range of 34 carbonylic derivatives was screened. Our data demonstrate that E. coli/Lk-ADH Prince exhibits activity toward a variety of structurally different ketones, furnishing optically active alcohol products at the high conversion of 65-99.9% and in moderate-to-high isolated yields (38-91%) with excellent anti-Prelog (R)-stereoselectivity (up to >99% ee) at substrate concentrations up to 100 mM.

Biocatalytic Oxidation of Alcohols

Enzymatic methods for the oxidation of alcohols are critically reviewed. Dehydrogenases and oxidases are the most prominent biocatalysts, enabling the selective oxidation of primary alcohols into aldehydes or acids. In the case of secondary alcohols, region and/or enantioselective oxidation is possible. In this contribution, we outline the current state-of-the-art and discuss current limitations and promising solutions.

An Alcohol Dehydrogenase from the Short-Chain Dehydrogenase/Reductase Family of Enzymes for the Lactonization of Hexane-1,6-diol

Biocatalytic production of lactones, and in particular ϵ-caprolactone (CL), have gained increasing interest as a greener route to polymer building blocks, especially through the use of Baeyer-Villiger monooxygenases (BVMOs). Despite several advances in the field, BVMOs, however, still suffer several practical limitations. Alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH)-mediated lactonization of diols in turn has received far less attention and very few enzymes have been identified for the conversion of diols to lactones, with horse-liver ADH (HLADH) remaining the catalyst of choice. Screening of a diverse panel of ADHs, AaSDR-1, a member of the short-chain dehydrogenase/reductase family, was found to produce ϵ-caprolactone from hexane-1,6-diol. Moreover, cofactor regeneration by an NADH oxidase eliminated the requirement of co-substrates, yielding water as the sole by-product. Despite lower turnover frequencies as compared to HLADH, higher selectivity was found for the production of CL, with HLADH forming significant amounts of 6-hydroxyhexanoic acid and adipic acid through aldehyde dehydrogenation/oxidation of the gem-diol intermediates. Also, CL yield were shown to be dependent on buffer choice, as structural elucidation of a Tris adduct confirmed the buffer amine to react with aliphatic aldehydes forming a Schiff-base intermediate which through further ADH oxidation, forms a tricyclic acetal product.

Biocatalytic synthesis of lactones and lactams

Cyclic esters and amides (lactones and lactams) are important active ingredients and polymer building blocks. In recent years, numerous biocatalytic methods for their preparation have been developed including enzymatic and chemoenzymatic Baeyer-Villiger oxidations, oxidative lactonisation of diols, and reductive lactonisation and lactamisation of ketoesters. The current state of the art of these methods is reviewed.

Microbial synthesis of a useful optically active (+)-isomer of lactone with bicyclo[4.3.0]nonane structure

Lactone 2a of a bicyclo[4.3.0]nonane structure is a good starting material for synthesis of many attractive compounds. Enantiomerically enriched (−)-(3aR,7aS)-lactone 2a is produced by whole cells of bacteria. In order to examine the impact of the absolute configuration on biological activity we evaluated the process affording the opposite isomer. To this purpose Candida pelliculosa ZP22 characterized by high dehydrogenase activity was used. The goal of presented work was to perform bioreactor scale microbial one-pot oxidation of diol with selected yeast strain C. pelliculosa ZP22 to obtain chiral (+)-(3aS,7aR)-lactone 2a. The idea was to influence on alcohol dehydrogenase activity by increasing the activity of pro-(+)-ADH and simultanously diminishing the activity of pro-(−)-ADH. The optimization of biotransformation conditions involved the manipulation of the nutritional and physical parameters. Selection of the optimal medium in order to improve yield and process enantioselectivity was based on a two-level factorial design methodology. We have also studied the relationship between microbial growth and biosynthesis of lactone 2a. Preparative oxidation of diol 3a (400 mg/L, 2.9 mM) catalyzed by C. pelliculosa ZP22 in an optimized conditions afforded enantiomerically enriched (+)-(3aS,7aR)-isomer of lactone 2a with the isolated yield (30%).

Simple Preparation of Rhodococcus erythropolis DSM 44534 as Biocatalyst to Oxidize Diols into the Optically Active Lactones

In the current study, we present a green toolbox to produce ecological compounds like lactone moiety. Rhodococcus erythropolis DSM 44534 cells have been used to oxidize both decane-1,4-diol () and decane-1,5-diol () into the corresponding γ- () and δ-decalactones () with yield of 80% and enantiomeric excess (ee) = 75% and ee = 90%, respectively. Among oxidation of meso diols, (-)-(1S,5R)-cis-3-oxabicyclo[4.3.0]non-7-en-2-one (5a) with 56% yield and ee = 76% as well as (-)-(2R,3S)-cis-endo-3-oxabicyclo[2.2.1]dec-7-en-2-one (6a) with 100% yield and ee = 90% were formed. It is worth mentioning that R. erythropolis DSM 44534 grew in a mineral medium containing ethanol as the sole source of energy and carbon Chirality 28:623-627, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Chemo-Enzymatic Synthesis of Optically Active γ- and δ-Decalactones and Their Effect on Aphid Probing, Feeding and Settling Behavior

The enantiomerically enriched γ- and δ-decalactones (4a and 4b) were prepared from corresponding racemic primary-secondary 1,4- and 1,5-diols (1a and 1b), as products of enzymatic oxidation catalyzed by different alcohol dehydrogenases. The results of biotransformations indicated that the oxidation processes catalyzed by alcohol dehydrogenase (HLADH), both isolated from horse liver and recombinant in Escherichia coli, were characterized by the highest degree of conversion with moderate enantioselectivity of the reaction. Useful, environmentally friendly extraction procedure of decalactones (4a and 4b) based on hydrodistillation using a Deryng apparatus was developed. Both racemic lactones (4a and 4b), as well as their enantiomerically enriched isomers, were tested for feeding deterrent activity against Myzus persicae. The effect of these compounds on probing, feeding and settling behavior of M. persicae was studied in vivo. The deterrent activity of decalactones (4a and 4b) against aphids depended on the size of the lactone ring and the enantiomeric purity of the compounds. δ-Decalactone (4b) appeared inactive against M. persicae while γ-decalactone (4a) restrained aphid probing at ingestional phase. Only (–)-(S)-γ-decalactone (4a) had strong and durable (i.e. lasting for at least 24 hours) limiting effect, expressed at phloem level.