Agrochemicals, biocatalytic

Since the mid-1970s biotransformations have become a very well-established tool in the fine chemicals industry. Biocatalytic systems, including crude and purified enzymes as well as whole-cell systems performing highly selective reactions under mild conditions, are widely used, especially in synthesis and production of biologically active compounds in the agrochemical and pharmaceutical sectors. 

There is a strong need for new biocatalytic methods producing enantiomerically pure compounds which are the basis for synthesis and production of biologically active compounds for agrochemicals and pharmaceuticals. 

Molecular separation along with simultaneous chemical transformation has been made possible with membrane reactors [17]. The selective removal of reaction products increases conversion of product-inhibited or thermodynamically unfavourable reactions for example, in the production of ethanol from com [31]. Enzyme-based membrane reactors were first conceived 25 years ago by UF pioneer Alan Michaels [49]. Membrane biocatalytic reactors are used for hydrolytic conversion of natural polymeric materials such as starch, cellulose, proteins and for the resolution of optically active components in the pharmaceutical, agrochemical, food and chemical industries. Membrane bioreactors for water treatment were introduced earher in this chapter and are discussed in detail in Chapters 2 and 3. 

The examples in this chapter will hopefully help readers to adopt an enz5miatic reaction when they execute their own retros5mthetic analysis of their target molecules. Biocatalytic retros5mthesis will become an important tool in preparative organic chemistry [34], especially in the S5mthesis of natural products, medicinals, and agrochemicals [35]. 

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