Racemic mixtures enzymatic resolution

Another approach, called kinetic resolution, depends on the different rates of reaction of two enantiomers with a chiral reagent. A very effective form of kinetic resolution uses enzymes as chiral catalysts to selectively bring about the reaction of one enantiomer in a racemic mixture (enzymatic resolution). Lipases, or esterases, enzymes that catalyze ester hydrolysis, are often used. In a typical procedure, one enantiomer of the acetate ester of a racemic alcohol undergoes hydrolysis and the other is left unchanged when hydrolyzed in the presence of an esterase from hog liver. 

It is interesting to recall that the first catalytic asymmetric reaction was performed on a racemic mixture (kinetic resolution) in an enzymatic reaction carried out by Pasteur in 1858. The organism Penicillium glauca destroyed (d)-am-monium tartrate more rapidly from a solution of a racemic ammonium tartrate [ 1 ]. The first use of a chiral non-enzymatic catalyst can be traced to the work of Bredig and Faj ans in 1908 [2 ]. They studied the decarboxylation of camphorcar-boxylic acid catalyzed by nicotine or quinidine, and they estabhshed the basic kinetic equations of kinetic resolution. 

Acyl transferase enzymes have been widely used to synthesize chiral esters, amides, alcohols, and amines. In many cases, these conversions involve kinetic resolutions of alcohols, adds, esters, amines, and amides. Of course, since each enantiomer makes up half of the racemic mixture, kinetic resolutions can provide a maximum 50% yield. This limitation can be overcome by racemizing or inverting the configuration of the unreacted substrate during the enzymatic reaction. Such a scheme is referred to as a dynamic kinetic resolution and theoretically allows complete substrate conversion to product along with 100% chemical yield of a single product enantiomer. 

In many cases only the racemic mixtures of a-amino acids can be obtained through chemical synthesis. Therefore, optical resolution (42) is indispensable to get the optically active L- or D-forms in the production of expensive or uncommon amino acids. The optical resolution of amino acids can be done in two general ways physical or chemical methods which apply the stereospecific properties of amino acids, and biological or enzymatic methods which are based on the characteristic behavior of amino acids in living cells in the presence of enzymes. 

The primary disadvantage of the conjugate addition approach is the necessity of performing two chiral operations (resolution or asymmetric synthesis) ia order to obtain exclusively the stereochemicaHy desired end product. However, the advent of enzymatic resolutions and stereoselective reduciag agents has resulted ia new methods to efficiently produce chiral enones and CO-chain synthons, respectively (see Enzymes, industrial Enzymes in ORGANIC synthesis). Eor example, treatment of the racemic hydroxy enone (70) with commercially available porciae pancreatic Hpase (PPL) ia vinyl acetate gave a separable mixture of (5)-hydroxyenone (71) and (R)-acetate (72) with enantiomeric excess (ee) of 90% or better (204). 

Before we leave the enzymatic modification of terpenoids, we should point out that enzymes are also employed to resolve racemic mixtures of terpenoids. The principles of Bus are similar to those employed in the resolution of racemic mixtures of amino acids (see Chapter 8). 

Conduritols and inositols are cyclic polyalcohols with significant biological activity. The presence of four stereogenic centers in the stmcture of conduritols allows the existence of 10 stereoisomers. Enzymatic methods have been reported for the resolution of racemic mixtures or the desymmetrization of meso-conduritols. For example, Mucor miehei lipase (MML) showed enantiomeric discrimination between all-(R) and all-(S) stereoisomers ofconduritol E tetraacetate (Figure 6.52). Alcoholysis resulted in the removal of the four acetyl groups ofthe all-(R) enantiomer whereas the all-(S) enantiomer was recovered [141]. 

For most chemical transformations, especially for industrial applications, the yield of 50% cannot be accepted. Since each enantiomer constitutes only 50% of the racemic mixture, the best way to increase the yield of the desired enantiomer is racemization of the unwanted one (Scheme 5.7). This reaction mustproceed simultaneously with the enzymatic kinetic resolution. In order to indicate the dynamic character of such processes, the term dynamic kinetic resolution has been introduced. 

In carrying out kinetic resolution, these in the standard approach are limited to 50% yield regarding the racemate. However, different approaches were developed [28] to overcome this limitation. The classical standard solution is to reracemize the unconverted enantiomer. A more advanced solution is the establishment of a dynamic kinetic resolution that has considerably expanded the synthetic scope of chemical processes. Here, the unconverted enantiomer is, in contrast to the latter method, racemized in situ. A great number of novel enzymatic methods have been developed [29]. Within this chapter, process solutions for enzymatic resolutions of racemic mixtures will be highlighted. 

D-Pantolactone and L-pantolactone are used as chiral intermediates in chemical synthesis, whereas pantoic acid is used as a vitamin B2 complex. All can be obtained from racemic mixtures by consecutive enzymatic hydrolysis and extraction. Subsequently, the desired hydrolysed enantiomer is lactonized, extracted and crystallized (Figure 4.6). The nondesired enantiomer is reracemized and recycled into the plug-flow reactor [33,34]. Herewith, a conversion of 90-95% is reached, meaning that the resolution of racemic mixtures is an alternative to a possible chiral synthesis. The applied y-lactonase from Fusarium oxysporum in the form of resting whole cells immobilized in calcium alginate beads retains more than 90% of its initial activity even after 180 days of continuous use. The biotransformation yielding D-pantolactone in a fixed-bed reactor skips several steps here that are necessary in the chemical resolution. Hence, the illustrated process carried out by Fuji Chemical Industries Co., Ltd is an elegant way for resolution of racemic mixtures. 

Ketorolac 132, a nonstereoidal anti-inflammatory drug with cyclooxygenase (COX) inhibitory activity, was marketed as a racemic mixture. It is now well established that (V)-ketorolac is the active enantiomer <1999MI382>. Therefore, efforts were devoted to the selective synthesis of this active stereomer, either by enzymatic kinetic resolution <2001TA1865> or by enantioselective synthesis <2005AGE609>. 

Dynamic kinetic resolution enables the limit of 50 % theoretical yield of kinetic resolution to be overcome. The application of lipase-catalyzed enzymatic resolution with in situ thiyl radical-mediated racemization enables the dynamic kinetic resolution of non-benzylic amines to be obtained. This protocol leads to (/f)-amides with high enantioselectivities. It can be applied either to the conversion of racemic mixtures or to the inversion of (5)-enantiomers. 

Reactions catalyzed by enzymes or enzyme systems exhibit far greater specificities than more conventional organic reactions. Among these specificities which enzymatic reactions possess, stereospecificity is one of the most excellent. To overcome the disadvantage of a conventional synthetic process, i.e., the troublesome resolution of a racemic mixture, microbial transformation with enzymes possessing stereospecificities has been appHed to the asymmetric synthesis of optically active substances [1-10]. C3- and C4-synthetic units (synthons, building blocks), such as epichlorohydrin (EP), 2,3-dichloro-l-propanol (2,3-DCP), glycidol (GLD), 3-chloro-l,2-propanediol (3-CPD), 4-chloro-... 

Dynamic kinetic resolution (DKR) is an attractive protocol for the production of enantiopure compounds from racemic mixtures [45]. The concept of DKR is illustrated in Scheme 5.13. In many cases, DKRs are accomplished by the combination of enzymatic resolution and transition-metal-catalyzed racemization based on hydrogen transfer. Thus, the use of Cp Ir complexes as catalysts for racemization in DKR can be anticipated. 

Zopiclone is a chiral cyclopyrrolone with hypnotic properties, possessing a pharmaceutical profile of high efficacy and low toxicity, similar to that of benzodiazepines. Zopiclone has been commercialized as a racemic mixture however, the (S)-enantiomer is more active and less toxic than the (R)-enantiomer [11]. Although enzymatic hydrolysis of esters or transesteriflcation processes of alcohols have been widely applied for enzymatic resolution or desymmetrization... 

The second-resolution approach relied on enzymatic resolution of acetate esters 62 (Scheme 4.7) (Hayakawa et ah, 1991). The sequence opened with the alkylation of 2,3-difluoro-6-nitrophenol (59) with l-acetoxychloro-2-propane (60) to deliver ether 61. Reduction of the nitro group of 61 gave an intermediate anihne that cyclized to give racemic benzoxazine 62 in 62% yield. A variety of lipases were then examined for the resolution. The best results arose from use of LPL Amano 3, derived from P. aeruginosa, which gave a ratio of 73 23 in favor of the desired (—)-enantiomer. Benzoylation of the enantiomerically-enriched mixture followed by chromatography of the aryl amides delivered enantiomerically pure 63. 

This problem was solved by Adam and coworkers in 1994-1998. They presented a high-yielding and diastereoselective method for the preparation of epoxydiols starting from enantiomerically pure allylic alcohols 39 (Scheme 69).235 Photooxygenation of the latter produces unsaturated a-hydroxyhydroperoxides 146 via Schenck ene reaction. In this reaction the (Z)-allylic alcohols afford the (S,S)-hydroperoxy alcohols 146 as the main diastereomer in a high threo selectivity dr 92 8) as racemic mixture. The ( )-allylic alcohols react totally unselectively threoIerythro 1/1). Subsequent enzymatic kinetic resolution of rac-146 threo/erythro mixture) with horseradish peroxidase (HRP) led to optically active hydroperoxy alcohols S,S)- and (/ ,S)-146 ee >99%) and the... 

Racemic pipecolic acid (6) is obtained by ring closure of TV-alkylglycines by ionic 203 or radical 204 mechanisms. It also may be obtained by conversion of suitable substituents at the C2 of piperidine into the 2-carboxy group, e.g. hydrolysis of a nitrile group 205 or oxidation of a 1,2-dihydroxyethyl group. 206 Resolution of the racemic mixture can be carried out by fractional crystallization. 207-209 Enzymatic resolution of racemic pipecolic acid 210-213 or of synthetic intermediates 214 has been reported. 

Unless asymmetric induction is complete, it is necessary to remove the undesired enantiomer from the product mixture. Whereas in conventional diastereoselective asymmetric syntheses this removal can typically be readily accomplished by crystallization or chromatography, the separation of enantiomeric products can be problematic. Often, though, with enantio-enriched samples it is possible to recrystallize either the racemate from the pure enantiomer or, preferably, one enantiomer from the other [I2a,16,17], Another very effective method to produce enan-tiopure compounds is by enzymatic resolution of the enantio-enriched product from chiral PTC [16,18]. These methods are illustrated by examples in the alkylation section of this chapter (Chart 10.6). 

The principle of the optical resolution of racemic pantolactone is shown in Fig. 13. If racemic pantolactone is used as a substrate for the hydrolysis reaction by the stereospecific lactonase, only the d- or L-pantolactone might be converted to d- or L-pantoic acid and the l- or D-enantiomer might remain intact, respectively. Consequently, the racemic mixture could be resolved into D-pan-toic acid and L-pantolactone, or D-pantolactone and L-pantoic acid. In the case of L-pantolactone-specific lactonase, the optical purity of the remaining d-pantolactone might be low, except when the hydrolysis of L-pantolactone is complete. On the other hand, using the D-pantolactone-specific lactonase, d-pantoic acid with high optical purity could be constantly obtained independently of the hydrolysis yield. Therefore, the enzymatic resolution of racemic pantolactone with D-pantolactone-specific lactonase was investigated [138 140]. 

Asymmetric synthesis with lipases and esterases can basically be performed by two different approaches - the desymmetrization of prochiral or meso compounds and the enzymatic kinetic resolution of racemic mixtures. The main bottleneck of kinetic resolutions, product yields of maximum 50%, can be overcome if an in situ racemization of the starting material is possible. In this case all starting material can theoretically be converted to the desired product [34],... 

Recent studies in the pharmaceutical field using MBR technology are related to optical resolution of racemic mixtures or esters synthesis. The kinetic resolution of (R,S)-naproxen methyl esters to produce (S)-naproxen in emulsion enzyme membrane reactors (E-EMRs) where emulsion is produced by crossflow membrane emulsification [38, 39], and of racemic ibuprofen ester [40] were developed. The esters synthesis, like for example butyl laurate, by a covalent attachment of Candida antarctica lipase B (CALB) onto a ceramic support previously coated by polymers was recently described [41]. An enzymatic membrane reactor based on the immobilization of lipase on a ceramic support was used to perform interesterification between castor oil triglycerides and methyl oleate, reducing the viscosity of the substrate by injecting supercritical CO2 [42],... 

In order to increase the efficiency of biocatalytic transformations conducted under continuous flow conditions, Honda et al. (2006, 2007) reported an integrated microfluidic system, consisting of an immobilized enzymatic microreactor and an in-line liquid-liquid extraction device, capable of achieving the optical resolution of racemic amino acids under continuous flow whilst enabling efficient recycle of the enzyme. As Scheme 42 illustrates, the first step of the optical resolution was an enzyme-catalyzed enantioselective hydrolysis of a racemic mixture of acetyl-D,L-phenylalanine to afford L-phenylalanine 157 (99.2-99.9% ee) and unreacted acetyl-D-phenylalanine 158. Acidification of the reaction products, prior to the addition of EtOAc, enabled efficient continuous extraction of L-phenylalanine 157 into the aqueous stream, whilst acetyl-D-phenylalanine 158 remained in the organic fraction (84—92% efficiency). Employing the optimal reaction conditions of 0.5 gl min 1 for the enzymatic reaction and 2.0 gl min-1 for the liquid-liquid extraction, the authors were able to resolve 240 nmol h-1 of the racemate. 

Resolution of cheap racemic mixtures with enzymes is a common route to enantiomerically pure chemicals on an industrial scale. However, the yield with a classical resolution is limited to 50%. An in situ racemization of the undesired enantiomer, combined with the enzymatic kinetic resolution, gives rise to a dynamic kinetic resolution (DKR) that should in principle lead to a 100% yield in the desired isomer. In spite of several Ru and Pd homogeneous systems successfully combined with enzymes and successfully applied on industrial scale in DKR [71, 72], few metal-based heterogeneous catalysts active for alcohol racemization have been reported [19, 73, 74]. 

The number of enzymes for industrial synthetic applications is growing fast. Enzymatic synthesis can be performed under mild reaction conditions so that many problems of chemical synthesis like isomerization orracemization can be prevented. Furthermore, enzymes are highly specific and selective, especially for enantio- or regio-selective introduction of functional groups. For the preparation of chiral enantiopure compounds, the resolution of racemic mixtures by hydrolases is a well-established route, which has the advantage to be able to use enzymes free of coenzymes. Otherwise, only a maximum yield of 50% can be reached by the primary reaction and further steps of reracemization must follow to avoid loss of the undesired enantiomer. 

In recent years biotransformations have also shown their potential when applied to nucleoside chemistry [7]. This chapter will give several examples that cover the different possibiUties using biocatalysts, especially lipases, in order to synthesize new nucleoside analogs. The chapter will demonstrate some applications of enzymatic acylations and alkoxycarbonylations for the synthesis of new analogs. The utQity of these biocatalytic reactions for selective transformations in nucleosides is noteworthy. In addition, some of these biocatalytic processes can be used not only for protection or activation of hydroxyl groups, but also for enzymatic resolution of racemic mixtures of nucleosides. Moreover, some possibilities with other biocatalysts that can modify bases, such as deaminases [8] or enzymes that catalyze the synthesis of new nucleoside analogs via transglycosylation [9] are also discussed. 

Parallel kinetic resolution (PKR), a concept that has been introduced for reactions where starting from a racemic mixture can allow the preparation of two different compounds at the same reaction rate [31], has been appHed for the separation of a mixture of P-D/L-deoxynucleosides. A practical synthesis of P-t-3 - and P-L-5 -0-levuHnyl-2 -deoxynucleosides has been described for the first time [32] through enzymatic acylation and/or hydrolysis processes. It is remarkable that the different behavior exhibited by PSL in the acylation of D- and L-nucleosides allows the parallel kinetic resolution of D/L nucleoside racemic mixtures. Scheme 10.12 shows a PKR of a 1 1 mixture of D and L nucleosides via an acylation reaction for furnishing easily separable compounds. This methodology would have tremendous potential for both research and industrial applications in the nucleic acid field. 

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