Laccase-generated quinones in naphthoquinone synthesis via Diels–Alder reaction

Biocatalysis with Laccases: An Updated Overview

Laccases are multicopper oxidases, which have been widely investigated in recent decades thanks to their ability to oxidize organic substrates to the corresponding radicals while producing water at the expense of molecular oxygen. Besides their successful (bio)technological applications, for example, in textile, petrochemical, and detoxifications/bioremediations industrial processes, their synthetic potentialities for the mild and green preparation or selective modification of fine chemicals are of outstanding value in biocatalyzed organic synthesis. Accordingly, this review is focused on reporting and rationalizing some of the most recent and interesting synthetic exploitations of laccases. Applications of the so-called laccase-mediator system (LMS) for alcohol oxidation are discussed with a focus on carbohydrate chemistry and natural products modification as well as on bio- and chemo-integrated processes. The laccase-catalyzed Csp2-H bonds activation via monoelectronic oxidation is also discussed by reporting examples of enzymatic C-C and C-O radical homo- and hetero-couplings, as well as of aromatic nucleophilic substitutions of hydroquinones or quinoids. Finally, the laccase-initiated domino/cascade synthesis of valuable aromatic (hetero)cycles, elegant strategies widely documented in the literature across more than three decades, is also presented.

Synthesis of trans-dihydronaphthalene-diols and evaluation of their use as standards for PAH metabolite analysis in fish bile by GC-MS

Phenols and trans-1,2-dihydro-1,2-diols are metabolites commonly formed in vivo in fish upon exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). These metabolites are excreted via the bile and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis of bile is becoming more frequently used for evaluating PAH exposure levels in fish. Current protocols focus on the detection and quantification of phenols formed during in vivo oxidation of PAHs, leaving out analyses and quantification of other oxidation products such as trans-1,2-dihydro-1,2-diols, potentially underestimating exposure levels. Herein, four trans-1,2-dihydro-1,2-diols, namely trans-1,2-dihydronaphthalene-1,2-diol, trans-6-methyl-1,2-dihydronaphthalene-1,2-diol, trans-5,7-dimethyl-1,2-dihydronaphthalene-1,2-diol, and trans-4,6,7-trimethyl-1,2-dihydronaphthalene-1,2-diol, were successfully prepared and used as standards in the GC-MS analysis, aiming to further develop this qualitative and quantitative analytical method for the determination of PAH exposures. This study shows that the currently used GC-MS analysis, including sample workup, is not suitable for determining the quantity of the corresponding diols derived from naphthalene and methylated naphthalenes. Alternative approaches are needed to provide a correct estimate of PAH exposure levels.

Efficient and sustainable laccase-catalyzed iodination ofp-substituted phenols using KI as iodine source and aerial O2as oxidant

The laccase-catalyzed iodination of p-hydroxyarylcarbonyl- and p-hydroxyarylcarboxylic acid derivatives using KI as iodine source and aerial oxygen as the oxidant delivers the corresponding iodophenols in a highly efficient and sustainable manner with yields up to 93% on a preparative scale under mild reaction conditions.

A new and sustainable laccase-catalyzed iodination of p-substituted phenols using KI as iodine source and aerial O₂ as oxidant has been developed.

Laccase-catalyzed green synthesis and cytotoxic activity of novel pyrimidobenzothiazoles and catechol thioethers

Laccase-catalyzed green reaction between catechols and 2-thioxopyrimidin-4-ones delivers novel pyrimidobenzothiazoles and catechol thioethers with antiproliferative activities against HepG2 cell line.

Two Decades of Laccases: Advancing Sustainability in the Chemical Industry

Given the current state of environmental affairs and that our future on this planet as we know it is in jeopardy, research and development into greener and more sustainable technologies within the chemical and forest products industries is at its peak. Given the global scale of these industries, the need for environmentally benign practices is propelling new green processes. These challenges are also impacting academic research and our reagents of interest are laccases. These enzymes are employed in a variety of biotechnological applications due to their native function as catalytic oxidants. They are about as green as it gets when it comes to chemical processes, requiring O₂ as their only co-substrate and producing H₂ O as the sole by-product. The following account will review our twenty year journey on the use of these enzymes within our research group, from their initial use in biobleaching of kraft pulps and for fiber modification within the pulp and paper industry, to their current application as green catalytic oxidants in the field of synthetic organic chemistry.

Multicomponent kinetic analysis and theoretical studies on the phenolic intermediates in the oxidation of eugenol and isoeugenol catalyzed by laccase

Laccase catalyzes the oxidation of natural phenols and thereby is believed to initialize reactions in lignification and delignification. Numerous phenolic mediators have also been applied in laccase-mediator systems. However, reaction details after the primary O-H rupture of phenols remain obscure. In this work two types of isomeric phenols, EUG (eugenol) and ISO (trans-/cis-isoeugenol), were used as chemical probes to explore the enzymatic reaction pathways, with the combined methods of time-resolved UV-Vis absorption spectra, MCR-ALS, HPLC-MS, and quantum mechanical (QM) calculations. It has been found that the EUG-consuming rate is linear to its concentration, while the ISO not. Besides, an o-methoxy quinone methide intermediate, (E/Z)-4-allylidene-2-methoxycyclohexa-2,5-dienone, was evidenced in the case of EUG with the UV-Vis measurement, mass spectra and TD-DFT calculations; in contrast, an ISO-generating phenoxyl radical, a (E/Z)-2-methoxy-4-(prop-1-en-1-yl) phenoxyl radical, was identified in the case of ISO. Furthermore, QM calculations indicated that the EUG-generating phenoxyl radical (an O-centered radical) can easily transform into an allylic radical (a C-centered radical) by hydrogen atom transfer (HAT) with a calculated activation enthalpy of 5.3 kcal mol(-1) and then be fast oxidized to the observed eugenol quinone methide, rather than an O-radical alkene addition with barriers above 12.8 kcal mol(-1). In contrast, the ISO-generating phenoxyl radical directly undergoes a radical coupling (RC) process, with a barrier of 4.8 kcal mol(-1), while the HAT isomerization between O- and C-centered radicals has a higher reaction barrier of 8.0 kcal mol(-1). The electronic conjugation of the benzyl-type radical and the aromatic allylic radical leads to differentiation of the two pathways. These results imply that competitive reaction pathways exist for the nascent reactive intermediates generated in the laccase-catalyzed oxidation of natural phenols, which is important for understanding the lignin polymerization and may shed some light on the development of efficient laccase-mediator systems.

Exploring the Oxidation of Lignin-Derived Phenols by a Library of Laccase Mutants

Saturation mutagenesis was performed over six residues delimiting the substrate binding pocket of a fungal laccase previously engineered in the lab. Mutant libraries were screened using sinapic acid as a model substrate, and those mutants presenting increased activity were selected for exploring the oxidation of lignin-derived phenols. The latter comprised a battery of phenolic compounds of interest due to their use as redox mediators or precursors of added-value products and their biological activity. The new laccase variants were investigated in a multi-screening assay and the structural determinants, at both the substrate and the protein level, for the oxidation of the different phenols are discussed. Laccase activity greatly varied only by changing one or two residues of the enzyme pocket. Our results suggest that once the redox potential threshold is surpassed, the contribution of the residues of the enzymatic pocket for substrate recognition and binding strongly influence the overall rate of the catalytic reaction.

A facile and green method to hydrophobize films of cellulose nanofibrils and silica by laccase-mediated coupling of nonpolar colloidal particles

Hydrophobic particles based on dodecyl 3,4,5-trihydroxybenzoate (LG) were coupled onto the surface of cellulose nanofibrils (CNFs) and silica by treatment with a multicomponent colloidal system (MCS) derived from the laccase-mediated reaction of LG in the presence of a sulfonated lignin (SL). Surface modification upon treatment with MCS was monitored in situ and in real time by quartz crystal microgravimetry. The colloidal stability of MCS and its components in water was followed by measuring space- and time-resolved light transmission and back scattering. The sulfonated lignin increased dispersion stability and reduced the characteristic MCS particle size [from ≈4 to ≈80 nm, according to AFM and dynamic light scattering (DLS)]. It also facilitated the surface enzymatic reaction that led to adsorption and coupling of MCS onto CNFs and silica surfaces. The combined effect of reduced surface energy and surface roughness by MCS treatment produced an increase in water contact angle on CNFs and silica of about 90 and 80°, respectively. Surface pretreatment with chitosan further increased the extent of MCS adsorption on the surfaces. This method represents a sustainable alternative to traditional approaches for cellulose hydrophobization and a step forward in implementing green routes for surface modification.

Identification of naphthalene metabolism by white rot fungus Armillaria sp. F022

Armillaria sp. F022, a white rot fungus isolated from tropical rain forest (Samarinda, Indonesia) was used to biodegrade naphthalene in cultured medium. Transformation of naphthalene by Armillaria sp. F022 which is able to use naphthalene, a two ring-polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) as a source of carbon and energy was investigated. The metabolic pathway was elucidated by identifying metabolites, biotransformation studies and monitoring enzyme activities in cell-free extracts. The identification of metabolites suggests that Armillaria sp. F022 initiates its attack on naphthalene by dioxygenation at its C-1 and C-4 positions to give 1,4-naphthoquinone. The intermediate 2-hydroxybenzaldehyde and salicylic acid, and the characteristic of the meta-cleavage of the resulting diol were identified in the long-term incubation. A part from typical metabolites of naphthalene degradation known from mesophiles, benzoic acid was identified as the next intermediate for the naphthalene pathway of this Armillaria sp. F022. Neither phthalic acid, catechol and cis,cis-muconic acid metabolites were detected in culture extracts. Several enzymes (manganese peroxidase, lignin peroxidase, laccase, 1,2-dioxygenase and 2,3-dioxygenase) produced by Armillaria sp. F022 were detected during the incubation.

Laccase-catalyzed domino reactions between hydroquinones and cyclic 1,3-dicarbonyls for the regioselective synthesis of substituted p-benzoquinones

Highly substituted p-benzoquinones were obtained in yields ranging from 39% to 98% by laccase-catalyzed domino reactions between hydroquinones and cyclic 1,3-dicarbonyls using aerial oxygen as the oxidant. In almost all reactions bis-adducts with two adjacent 1,3-dicarbonyl substituents on the quinone moiety were formed selectively. The transformations can be regarded as domino oxidation/1,4-addition/oxidation/1,4-addition/oxidation processes. With unsubstituted hydroquinone as the substrate 2,3-disubstituted p-benzoquinones were isolated. Bis-adducts were also formed exclusively upon reaction with monosubstituted hydroquinones. In almost all cases the 2,3,5-trisubstituted p-benzoquinones were obtained. When 2,3-disubstituted hydroquinones were employed as starting materials the 2,3,5,6-tetrasubstituted p-benzoquinones were isolated. The unambiguous structure elucidation of all products has been achieved by NMR spectroscopic methods including spin pattern analysis of the long-range coupled C═O carbons and (13)C satellites analysis in (1)H NMR spectra.

Diamination by N-coupling using a commercial laccase

Nuclear diamination of p-hydrobenzoquinones with aromatic and aliphatic primary amines was catalysed by an immobilised commercial laccase, Denilite II Base, from Novozymes. The amine and the p-hydrobenzoquinone was reacted under mild conditions (at room temperature and at 35 degrees C) in a reaction vessel open to air in the presence of laccase and a co-solvent to afford, exclusively, the diaminated p-benzoquinone. These compounds may have potential antiallergic, antibiotic, anticancer, antifungal, antiviral and/or 5-lipoxygenase inhibiting activity.

The laccase-catalyzed domino reaction between catechols and heterocyclic 1,3-dicarbonyls and the unambiguous structure elucidation of the products by NMR spectroscopy and X-ray crystal structure analysis

The laccase-catalyzed reaction between catechols and heterocyclic 1,3-dicarbonyls (pyridinones, quinolinones, thiocoumarins) using aerial oxygen as the oxidant delivers benzofuropyridinones, benzofuroquinolinones, and thiocoumestans in a simple fashion, highly regioselectively with yields ranging from 55 to 98%. With barbituric acid derivatives the exclusive formation of dispiropyrimidinone derivatives takes place. The unambiguous and complete structure elucidation of all reaction products has been achieved by means of NMR spectroscopic methods (HSQMBC and band-selective HMBC) as well as by X-ray crystal structure analysis.

Laccase-mediated synthesis of novel substituted phenoxazine chromophores featuring tuneable water solubility

Laccases are members of the blue copper oxidases family found in nature. They commonly oxidise a wide range of phenol and aniline derivatives, which in turn are involved in oxidative coupling reactions. Yet, laccases remain rarely described as biocatalysts in organic synthesis. This paper describes the chemical preparation of original sulfonated aminophenol substrates and their enzyme-mediated dimerisation into phenoxazine chromophores that feature tuneable water solubility as a function of the sulfonyl substituent. The scope and limitations of the biocatalysed synthetic process are outlined. Kinetic data were collected to evaluate the influence of physicochemical parameters. The structure of the novel phenoxazine dyes ("head-to-head" or "head-to-tail" dimer) was assessed by NMR spectroscopic analysis. Two crystalline compounds were analysed by X-ray diffraction. Such laccase-mediated synthesis (a green chemistry process) was proven to be more efficient than the chemical oxidation of o-aminophenols with silver oxide.