Enzyme chemoselectivity

However, the particular usefulness of enzymes stems from their selectivity. There are three types of selectivity exerted by enzymes chemoselectivity, regioselectivity, and stereoselectivity. 

Recently Lin and coworkers have developed a selective synthesis of N-acyl and 0-acyl propanolol vinyl derivatives by enzyme-catalyzed acylation of propanolol using divinyl dicarboxylates with different carbon chain lengths (Scheme 7.10) [24]. Lipase AY30 in diisopropyl ether demonstrated high chemoselectivity toward the amino... 

Chemoselectivity of enzymatic reaction is the enzyme-catalyzed transformation of one type of functional group in the presence of other sensitive groups present in the substrate molecule. As a result, reactions catalyzed by enzymes generally tend to be cleaner and purification of product(s) from impurities can largely be omitted. Therefore, all enzymatic reactions generate less by-products and waste compared to chemical transformations. This simplifies all operations and reduces costs of transformation, which is of great importance for the industry. 

Martinkova, L. and Kren, V. (2002) Nitrile- and amide-converting microbial enzymes stereo-, regio- and chemoselectivity. Biocatalysis and Biotransformation, 20,73-93. 

In another application of coupling proteins to surfaces using click chemistry, Duckworth et al. (2006) carried out prenylation of a protein using a farnesyl azide derivative and the enzyme farnesyl transferase for subsequent chemoselective ligation to alkyne-functionalized agarose beads. The result is a highly discrete, site-specific attachment of the protein to the solid phase at a single location. 

The activation of enzymes using adipic acid dihydrazide and EDC is identical to the procedure outlined for the modification of (strept)avidin (Chapter 23, Section 5). Alternatively, hydrazide groups may be created on enzymes using the heterobifunctional chemoselective reagents described in Chapter 17, Section 2. 

Also, Kerep and Ritter reported a radical chain transfer agent as a dual initiator, FRP-1 [45]. The first step builds on the fact that hydroxyl groups are much better nucleophiles in enzymatic ROP than thiols. Due to the chemoselectivity of the enzyme, PCLs with predominantly thiol endgroups were obtained, which were subsequently used as macroinitiator for styrene. The authors report that the reaction yield can be further increased by microwave irradiation. Although thiols provide less control over the radical polymerization than RAFT agents, the subsequent radical polymerization successfully leads to the synthesis of PCL-Z -PS. 

One of the most profound influences a solvent system can have on a reaction is a change of selectivity. Enzymes in organic solvents have been discovered in many cases to feature altered selectivity, including substrate specificity, enantioselectivity, prochiral selectivity, regioselectivity, and chemoselectivity (Wescott, 1994 Hirose, 1995). 

The conversion of enol ether 80 to cyclic ketal 83 in water in 12% yield exemplifies the chemoselectivity possible with 14D9.79 Although 83 is the normal product of the acid-catalyzed hydrolysis of 80 in organic solvents, it is never observed in water because the highly reactive oxocarbenium intermediate is rapidly trapped by the solvent to give ketone 82 (via hemiacetal 81) as the sole product. The ability of the antibody to protect the reactive oxonium ion intermediate from hydrolysis and partition it toward a product that is not typically observed under these conditions (i.e., 83) mimics the capabilities of rather sophisticated enzymes. Extension to other reactions involving reactive, water-incompatible intermediates can be easily imagined. 

This NADPH reaction is typically stereo- and chemoselective, though the stereochemistry is rather wasted here as tile next step is a dehydration, typical of what is now an aldol product, and occurring by an enzyme-catalysed ElcB mechanism. 

Several aspects have to be considered in order to regenerate NAD(P)H by an indirect electrochemical procedure without the application of a second regeneration enzyme The active redox catalyst should transfer two electrons in one step or a hydride ion. At potentials more negative than —0.9 V vs SCE, NAD+ dimers will be formed, so the electrochemical activation of the catalyst should be possible at potentials less negative than —0.9 V. To prevent low chemoselectivity and low enantioselectivity, the active form of the catalyst should not transfer the electrons or the hydride ion directly to the substrate but to NAD(P)+. Furthermore, only active 1,4-NAD(P)H should be formed [90]. 

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