Methionine resolution

Fig. 2-14. The effect of organic modifier on retention, selectivity and resolution of methionine on teicoplanin CSP (250 x 4.6 mm). The flow rate was 1.0 mL min at ambient temperature (23 °C).

Hydantoinases belong to the E.C.3.5.2 group of cyclic amidases, which catalyze the hydrolysis of hydantoins [4,54]. As synthetic hydantoins are readily accessible by a variety of chemical syntheses, including Strecker reactions, enantioselective hydantoinase-catalyzed hydrolysis offers an attractive and general route to chiral amino acid derivatives. Moreover, hydantoins are easily racemized chemically or enzymatically by appropriate racemases, so that dynamic kinetic resolution with potential 100% conversion and complete enantioselectivity is theoretically possible. Indeed, a number of such cases using WT hydantoinases have been reported [54]. However, if asymmetric induction is poor or ifinversion ofenantioselectivity is desired, directed evolution can come to the rescue. Such a case has been reported, specifically in the production of i-methionine in a whole-cell system ( . coli) (Figure 2.13) [55]. 

Figure 4.7 Classical kinetic resolution synthesis of L-methionine from IV-acetyl-methionine applying an ultrafiltration-membrane reactor and crystallization step as well as racemization step...

Several hundred tons of L-methionine per year are produced by enzymatic conversion in an enzyme membrane reactor. An alternative approach is dynamic resolution, where the unconverted enantiomer is racemized in situ. Starting from racemic /V-acetyl-amino acid, the enantioselective L-acylase is used in combination with an TV-acyl-amino acid racemase to enable nearly total conversion of the substrate. 

Fig. 13. Stereo drawing of one contour level in the electron density map at 2 A resolution for the residue 54-68 helix in staphylococcal nuclease. Carbonyl groups point up, in the C-terminal direction of the chain the asterisk denotes a solvent peak bound to a carbonyl oxygen in the last turn. Side chains on the left (including a phenylalanine and a methionine) are in the hydrophobic interior, while those on the right (including an ordered lysine) are exposed to solvent.

The broad specificity of PheDH has been applied also to the resolution of racemic amino acids or inversion of stereospecificity. Findrik and Vasic-Racki report the use of PheDH of Rhodococcus in conjunction with d-AAO to convert D-methionine into L-methionine (Scheme 7). 

In all tRNAs the bases can be paired to form "clover-leaf" structures with three hairpin loops and sometimes a fourth as is indicated in Fig. 5-30.329 331 This structure can be folded into the L-shape shown in Fig. 5-31. The structure of a phenylalanine-carrying tRNA of yeast, the first tRNA whose structure was determined to atomic resolution by X-ray diffraction, is shown.170/332 334 An aspartic acid-specific tRNA from yeast,335 and an E. coli chain-initiating tRNA, which places N-formyl-methionine into the N-terminal position of proteins,336,337 have similar structures. These molecules are irregular bodies as complex in conformation as globular proteins. Numerous NMR studies show that the basic... 

The acylase-catalyzed resolution of N-acetyl-D,L-amino acids to obtain enantiomerically pure i-amino acids (see Chapter 7, Section 7.2.1) has been scaled up to the multi-hundred ton level. For the immobilized-enzyme reactor (Takeda, 1969) as well as the enzyme membrane reactor technology (Degussa, 1980) the acylase process was the first to be scaled up to industrial levels. Commercially acylase has broad substrate specificity and sufficient stability during both storage and operation. The process is fully developed and allowed major market penetration for its products, mainly pharmaceutical-grade L-methionine and L-valine. 

The hydrolysis of an IV-acylated amino acid by an enzyme provides a resolution method to amino acids. Because the starting materials are readily available in the racemic series by the Schotten-Baumann reaction, the method can be cost effective (Scheme 2.21).68-71 The L-amino acid product can be separated by crystallization, whereas the D-amino acid, which is still /V-acylated, can be recycled by being resubjected to the Schotten-Baumann conditions used for the next batch. Tanabe has developed a process with an immobilized enzyme,72 73 whereas Degussa uses the method in a membrane reactor.69 74 The process is used to make L-methionine. 

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