Enzyme-catalyzed racemization

The group of Faber has reported a DKR of mandelic acid by using a lipase-catalyzed O-acylation followed by a racemization catalyzed by mandelate racemase. However, these two transformations do not take place simultaneously in the same 

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Use of Proteases in Peptide Synthesis. Typically peptides are synthesized the standard solid or liquid phase methodologies (56, 57). However, both of these techniques require harsh chemical reactions which are detrimental to certain amino acids. Furthermore, in practical terms most peptide syntheses are limited to the range of 30 to 50 amino acid residues. Hence, peptide synthesis is still somewhat problematic in many cases. In certain situations, the alternative method of peptide synthesis using proteases is an attractive choice. With this form of synthesis, one can avoid the use of the noxious and hazardous chemicals used in solid or liquid phase peptide synthesis. Since the reactions are enzyme catalyzed, racemization of the peptide bond does not occur. This technique has been used with success in the synthesis and semisynthesis of several important peptides including human insulin (55,59). 

Enzyme-catalyzed racemization and racemization of Schiff base intermediates are also valuable techniques, but are generally restricted to amino acid racemiza-tions, which have been much more widely inveshgated than the topics discussed in this chapter [11, 12]. 

Somewhat different conclusions were reached for mandelate racemase [38], Dissociation constants for the enzyme substrate complexes in the absence (k5) and presence (/c3) of Mn2+ were obtained (from proton relaxation rate titration of E-Mn2+ complex and other means). Evidence was obtained that in this case k3 was approximately equal to k4. Thus the authors concluded that the enzyme-catalyzed racemization steps should be approximately equal for both the D- and L-enantiomers , and termed this a rather startling prediction . Clearly, more detailed studies of the behavior of this, and other racemase enzymes would be desirable. 

An amino acid racemase which shows very broad substrate specificity was discovered in Pseudomonas striata (= Ps. putida), purified, and characterized1 91. The enzyme catalyzes racemization of various amino acids except aromatic and acidic... 

Pyridoxal 5 -phosphate is also a coenzyme for the enzyme-catalyzed racemization of amino acids. The key reaction is proton abstraction from the a carbon of the amino acid imine of PLP. This step converts the a carbon, which is a chirality center, from sp to sp. ... 

Tarmer, M. E, "Understanding nature s strategies for enzyme-catalyzed racemization and epimerization." Acc. Chem. Res., 35,237-246 (2002). 

One of the homochiral starting materials (45) for the acetylcholinesterase (ACE) inhibitor captopril [62571 -86-2] (47) is produced by a Hpase enzyme-catalyzed resolution of racemic 3-methyl-4-acetylthiobutyric acid (44) and L-proline (46) (65). 

Both pure L- and D-amino acids can be made using hydantoinase enzymes. These enzymes catalyze the stereoselective hydrolysis of racemic hydantoins such as (50) which is used for the production of D-alanine (15) (58). 

Enzyme-Catalyzed Asymmetric Synthesis. The extent of kinetic resolution of racemates is determined by differences in the reaction rates for the two enantiomers. At the end of the reaction the faster reacting enantiomer is transformed, leaving the slower reacting enantiomer unchanged. It is apparent that the maximum product yield of any kinetic resolution caimot exceed 50%. 

Various racemic secondary alcohols with different substituents, eg, a-hydroxyester (60), are resolved by PFL neatly quantitatively (75). The effect of adjacent unsatuiation on enzyme-catalyzed kinetic resolutions was thoroughly studied for a series of aHyUc (61), propargyUc (62), and phenyl-substituted 2-aIkanols (76,77). Excellent selectivity was observed for (E)-aHyhc alcohols whereas (Z)-isomers showed poor selectivity (76). 

The enzyme-catalyzed stereoselective synthesis of (/ )- and (S )-cyanohydrins allows a simple access to compounds which can be easily transformed into the corresponding a-hydroxy-car-boxylic acids (see Table 2)20,21,23, a-hydroxyaldehydes26 or acyloins27, without racemization. 

For an efficient enzymatic DKR the following requirements must be fulfilled (i) the KR must be very selective ( > 20) (ii) the racemization must be fast (at least 10 times faster than the enzyme-catalyzed transformation of the slow reacting enantiomer, krac >10 kent-s) (hi) the racemization catalyst must not react with the product of the reaction (iv) the KR and the racemization must be compatible under the same reaction conditions. 

In this chapter, DKRs will be categorized according to the racemization method employed, as being catalyzed by (i) a metal, (ii) a base, (hi) an acid, (iv) an aldehyde, or (v) an enzyme. Also racemizations that take place through continuous cleavage/ formation of the substrate, or through 5 2 displacement, among other methods, will be discussed. In most cases, the racemization method of choice depends on the structure of the substrate. In all cases, the KR is catalyzed by an enzyme. 

A very attractive and efficient method for the synthesis of L-aminoacids via DKR has been reported by Turner et al. [41a,b]. They employed enzyme-catalyzed ring opening of 5(4H)-oxazolones in combination with a catalytic amount of Et3N. The relatively low pKa of the C-4 proton (8.9) of oxazolones facilitates racemization. Hydrolysis of the ester obtained through DKR, followed by debenzoylation, yields L-aminoacids in excellent enantiomeric excess (99.5%) (Figure 4.16). In their initial studies, they employed Rhizomucor miehei lipase (Lipozyme) as the biocatalyst [41]. More recently, they have obtained excellent results employing CALB [41bj. This method has also been employed by Bevinakatti [41c,d] and Sih [41e,fj. 

Another approach for the synthesis of enantiopure amino acids or amino alcohols is the enantioselective enzyme-catalyzed hydrolysis of hydantoins. As discussed above, hydantoins are very easily racemized in weak alkaline solutions via keto enol tautomerism. Sugai et al. have reported the DKR of the hydantoin prepared from DL-phenylalanine. DKR took place smoothly by the use of D-hydantoinase at a pH of 9 employing a borate buffer (Figure 4.17) [42]. 

Spontaneous racemization also occurs during the enzyme-catalyzed acetylation of hemiaminals [59]. It is thought that the racemization occurs owing to ring opening at... 

A mechanistic study performed by the authors showed that CALB and EtOAc are required for racemization to take place. They claimed that enzyme-catalyzed oxidation of the amine substrate takes place, and a ketone intermediate is produced. The ketone reacts with the substrate to form an enamine. This process results in racemization of the substrate (Figure 4.34). It is not clear how the enzyme and EtOAc could dehydrogenate the amine. 

The TSIL used in this study has an ester moiety in its structure, which enables it to react in enzyme-catalyzed transesterification reaction. In the first part of the cycle, one of the enantiomers of the racemic alcohol is preferentially transformed into an ester of the IL-coupled acid. The other, unreacted enantiomer of the alcohol is then extracted, while the newly formed IL ester is treated with an excess of ethanol in the presence of the same enzyme. This process is accompanied by the regeneration of TSIL in the active form. The main advantage of the presented... 

Catalytic transformation based on combined enzyme and metal catalysis is described as a new class of methodology for the synthesis of enantiopure compounds. This approach is particularly useful for dynamic kinetic resolution in which enzymatic resolution is coupled with metal-catalyzed racemization for the conversion of a racemic substrate to a single enantiomeric product. 

Enzyme membrane reactor for production of diltiazem intermediate. A solution of the racemic ester in organic solvent enters the port at the bottom of the reactor and flows past the strands of microporous, hollow-fiber membrane that contain an enzyme. The enzyme catalyzes hydrolysis of one enantiomer of the ester that undergoes decarboxylation to 4-methoxyphenylacetaldehyde (which in turn forms a water-soluble bisulfite complex that remains in the aqueous phase). The other enantiomer of the ester remains in the aqueous stream that leaves the reactor via the port at the top. Courtesy of Sepracor, Inc. 

Enzymes may be used either directly for chiral synthesis of the desired enantiomer of the amino acid itself or of a derivative from which it can readily be prepared, or for kinetic resolution. Resolution of a racemate may remove the unwanted enantiomer, leaving the intended product untouched, or else the reaction may release the desired enantiomer from a racemic precursor. In either case the apparent disadvantage is that the process on its own can only yield up to 50% of the target compound. However, in a number of processes the enzyme-catalyzed kinetic resolution is combined with a second process that re-racemizes the unwanted enantiomer. This may be chemical or enzymatic, and in the latter case, the combination of two simultaneous enzymatic reactions can produce a smooth dynamic kinetic resolution leading to 100% yield. 

In an ideal kinetic resolution (common in enzyme-catalyzed processes), one enantiomer of a racemic substrate is converted tvhile the other is unreactive [70]. In such a kinetic resolution of 5-methyl-2-cyclohexenone, even with 1 equivalent of Me2Zn, the reaction should virtually stop after 50% conversion. This near perfect situation is found with ligand 18 (Fig. 7.10) [71]. Kinetic resolutions of 4-methyl-2-cyclohexenone proceed less selectively (s = 10-27), as might be expected from the lower trans selectivity in 1,4-additions to 4-substituted 2-cyclohexenones [69]. 

The reversibility of hydrogen transfer reactions has been exploited for the racemi-zation of alcohols and amines. By coupling the racemization process with an enantioselective enzyme-catalyzed acylation reaction, it has been possible to achieve dynamic kinetic resolution reactions. The combination of lipases or... 

As shown in Table 12,H202 and fBuOOH have been used frequently as oxygen donors in peroxidase-catalyzed sulfoxidations. Other achiral oxidants, e.g. iodo-sobenzene and peracids, are not accepted by enzymes and, therefore, only racemic sulfoxides were found (c.f. entries 34-36). Interestingly, racemic hydroperoxides oxidize sulfides to sulfoxides enantioselectively under CPO catalysis [68]. In this reaction, not only the sulfoxides but also the hydroperoxide and the corresponding alcohol were produced in optically active form by enzyme-catalyzed kinetic resolution (cf. Eq. 3 and Table 3 in Sect. 3.1). 

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