Butyl acetate-water biphasic system

On the other hand, 3-phenylpropionitrile was synthesized from Z-3-phenyl-propionaldoxime (0.75 M) in a quantitative yield (98gP ) by the use of cells of E. coli JM 109/pOxD-9OF, a transformant harboring a gene for a new enzyme, phenylacetaldoxime dehydratase, from Bacillus sp. strain OxB-1. Other arylalkyl- and alkyl-nitriles were also synthesized in high yields from the corresponding aldoximes. Moreover, 3-phenylpropionitrile was successfully synthesized by the recombinant cells in 70 and 100% yields from 0.1 M unpurified P/Z-3-phenylpropionaldoxime, which is spontaneously formed from 3-phenylpropionaldehyde and hydroxylamine in a butyl acetate/water biphasic system and aqueous phase, respectively. 

Den Hollander JL, Aversente A, Diender MB, Straathof AJJ, van der Wielen LAM (2001) Enzymatic peniciUin G hydrolysis in discretely contacted countercurrent water-butyl acetate biphasic systems (in press)... 

Lowering the water-activity of the medium [1565] by using water-miscible organic cosolvents such as ethanol or methanol. Alternatively, the reaction can be carried out in a biphasic aqueous-organic system or in a monophasic organic solvent (e.g., ethyl acetate, di-/-propyl, or methyl t-butyl ether) which contains only traces of water to preserve the enz3mie s activity. 

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