Jeffrey M. Howell

Stereoselective reduction of β-keto esters by Geotrichum candidum

Abstract A key chiral intermediate S (−)-4-chloro-3-hydroxybutanoic acid, methyl ester 2 was made in high optical purity by the stereoselective reduction of 4-chloro-3-oxobutanoic acid methyl ester 1 by cell suspensions of Geotrichum candidum SC 5469. A reaction yield of 95% and optical purity of 96% was obtained for 2 by glucose-, acetate-, or glycerol-grown cells (10% w/v) of G. candidum SC 5469. Substrate was used at 10 mg ml −1 concentration. The optical purity of 2 was increased to 99% by heat treatment of cell suspensions (55°C for 30 min) prior to conducting bioreduction of 1 at 28°C. Glucose-grown cells of G. candidum SC 5469 have also catalyzed the stereoselective reduction of ethyl-, isopropyl-, and tertiary-butyl esters of 4-chloro-3-oxobutanoic acid and methyl- and ethyl esters of 4-bromo-3-oxobutanoic acid. A reaction yield of > 85% and optical purity of > 94% were obtained. NADP-dependent oxidoreductase responsible for the stereoselective reduction of β-keto esters of 4-chloro- and 4-bromo-3-oxobutanoic acid was purified 100-fold. The molecular weight of the purified enzyme is 950,000. The purified oxidoreductase was immobilized on Eupergit C and used to catalyze the reduction of 1 to 2. The cofactor NADP required for the reduction reaction was regenerated by glucose dehydrogenase.

Synthesis of allysine ethylene acetal using phenylalanine dehydrogenase from Thermoactinomyces intermedius.

Allysine ethylene acetal [(S)-2-amino-5-(1,3-dioxolan-2-yl)-pentanoic acid (2)] was prepared from the corresponding keto acid by reductive amination using phenylalanine dehydrogenase (PDH) from Thermoactinomyces intermedius ATCC 33205. Glutamate, alanine, and leucine dehydrogenases, and PDH from Sporosarcina species (listed in order of increasing effectiveness) also gave the desired amino acid but were less effective. The reaction requires ammonia and NADH. NAD produced during the reaction was recyled to NADH by the oxidation of formate to CO(2) using formate dehydrogenase (FDH). PDH was produced by growth of T. intermedius ATCC 33205 or by growth of recombinant Escherichia coli or Pichia pastoris expressing the Thermoactinomyces enzyme. Using heat-dried T. intermedius as a source of PDH and heat-dried Candida boidinii SC13822 as a source of FDH,98%, but production of T. intermedius could not be scaled up. Using heat-dried recombinant E. coli as a source of PDH and heat-dried Candida boidinii 98%. In a third generation process, heat-dried methanol-grown P. pastoris expressing endogenous FDH and recombinant Thermoactinomyces98% ee.

Microbial synthesis of (2R,3S)-(−)-N-benzoyl-3-phenyl isoserine ethyl ester-a taxol side-chain synthon

Abstract The chiral intermediate (2R,3S)-(−)-N-benzoyl-3-phenyl isoserine ethyl ester 2a , a potential taxol 5 side-chain synthon, was prepared by microbial and enzymatic processes. Taxol 5 is an anticancer compound recently approved by FDA for the treatment of ovarian cancer. The stereoselective reduction of racemic 2-keto-3-(N-benzoylamino)-3-phenylpropionic acid ethyl ester 1 to the corresponding alcohol 2 was carried out using microbial cultures. Among microorganisms evaluated, Hansenula polymorpha SC 13865 and Hansenula fabianii SC 13894 effectively reduced compound 1 to the desired syn diastereomer 2a . Reaction yields of >80% and enantiomeric excesses of >98% were observed for these bioreduction process. About 10–20% of anti diastereomers ( 2c,2d ) were produced during bioreduction.

Enzymatic synthesis of chiral intermediates for pharmaceuticals

There has been an increasing awareness of the enormous potential of microorganisms and enzymes for the transformation of synthetic chemicals with high chemo-, regio- and enatioselective manner. Chiral intermediates are in high demand by pharmaceutical industries for the preparation bulk drug substances. In this review article, microbial/enzymatic processes for the synthesis of chiral intermediates for antihypertensive drugs, melatonin receptor agonists, and β3-receptor receptor agonists are described.

Stereoselective epoxidation of 2,2-dimethyl-2H-1- benzopyran-6-carbonitrile

The chiral intermediate (3S,4R)-trans-3,4-dihydro-3,4-dihydroxy-2,2-dimethyl- 2H-1-benzopyran-6-carbonitrile [(+)-trans diol 3] was made by the stereoselective microbial epoxidation of 2,2-dimethyl-2H-1-benzopyran-6-carbonitrile 1. This compound is a potential intermediate for the total synthesis of potassium-channel openers. Several microbial cultures were found which catalyzed the transformation of 1 to the corresponding (3S,4S)-epoxide 2 and (+)-trans diol 3. The two best cultures, Corynebacterium sp. SC 13876 and Mortierella ramanniana SC 13840 gave reaction yields of 32 M% and 67.5 M% and optical purities of 88 and 96%, respectively, for (+)-trans diol 3. A single-stage process (fermentation-epoxidation) for the biotransformation of 1 was developed using Corynebacterium sp. SC 13876 and M. ramanniana SC 13840. In a 25-L fermentor, the (+)-trans diol 3 was obtained in 38.6 M% yield with an optical purity of 90% using Corynebacterium SC 13876. The reaction yield of 60.7 M% and optical purity of 92.5% were obtained for (+)-trans diol 3 using M. ramanniana SC 13840. A two-stage process for the preparation of (+)-trans diol 3 was also developed using a 3 L cell-suspension (10% w/v, wet cells) of M. ramanniana SC 13840. The reaction was carried out in a 5-L Bioflo fermentor. The concentration of substrate 1 was 2 g L-1 with glucose present at 10 g L-1. After 48 h, (+)-trans diol 3 was obtained in 76 M% yield with an optical purity of 96%.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Purification of a stereospecific 2-ketoreductase from Gluconobacter oxydans

The 2-ketoreductase from Gluconobacter oxydans (SC 13851) catalyzes the reduction of 2-pentanone to (S)-(+)-2-pentanol. The 2-ketoreductase was purified 295-fold to homogeneity from G. oxydans cell extracts. The purified 2-ketoreductase had a molecular mass of 29 kDa with a specific activity of 17.7 U/mg. (S)-(+)-2-pentanol was prepared on a pilot scale (3.2 kg of 2-pentanone input) using Triton X-100-treated G. oxydans cells. After 46 h, 1.06 kg (32.3 M%) of (S)-(+)-2-pentanol of >99% enantiomeric excess (ee) was produced. Journal of Industrial Microbiology & Biotechnology (2000) 25, 171–175.

Stereoselective enzymatic esterification of 3-benzoylthio-2-methylpropanoic acid

SummaryA key intermediate, S-(−)-3-benzoylthio-2-methylpropanoic acid (1) was made in high optical purity by the lipase-catalyzed stereoselective esterification of racemic 1 with methanol in an organic solvent system. Among various lipases evaluated, Amano P-30 lipase from Pseudomonas sp. efficiently catalyzed the esterification of 1 to yield R-(+) methyl ester and unreacted S-(−) 1. A reaction yield of 40 mol% and an optical purity of 97.2% were obtained for compound 1 at a substrate concentration of 0.1 m (22 mg/ml). Lipase P-30 was immobilized on Accurel polypropylene (PP) and the immobilized enzyme was reused (23 cycles) in the esterification reaction without loss of enzyme acitivity, productivity or optical purity. Among various solvents evaluated, toluene was found to be the most suitable organic solvent and methanol was the best alcohol for the esterification of racemic 1 by immobilized lipase. Substrate concentrations as high as 1.0 m were used in the esterification reaction. When the temperature was increased from 28° C to 60° C, the reaction time required for the esterification of 0.1 m substrate decreased from 16 h to 2 h. On increasing the methanol to substrate molar ratio from 1:1 to 4:1, the rate of esterification decreased. A lipase fermentation using Pseudomonas sp. ATCC 21 808 was developed. In the batch-fermentation process, 56 units/ml of extracellular lipase activity was obtained. A fed-batch process using soybean oil gave a significant increase in the lipase activity (126 units/ml). Crude lipase recovered from the filtrate by ethanol precipitation and immobilized on Accurel PP was also effective: S-(−) compound 1 was obtained in 35 mol% yield and 95% optical purity.

Stereoselective Enzymatic Esterification of 3-BenzoyIthio-2-methylpropanoic Acid

A key intermediate, S-(−)-3-benzoylthio-2-methylpropanoic acid (1) was made in high optical purity by the lipase-catalyzed stereoselective esterification of racemic 1 with methanol in an organic solvent system. Among various lipases evaluated, Amano P-30 lipase from Pseudomonas sp. efficiently catalyzed the esterification of 1 to yield R-(+) methyl ester and unreacted S-(−) 1. A reaction yield of 40 mol% and an optical purity of 97.2% were obtained for compound 1 at a substrate concentration of 0.1 m (22 mg/ml). Lipase P-30 was immobilized on Accurel polypropylene (PP) and the immobilized enzyme was reused (23 cycles) in the esterification reaction without loss of enzyme acitivity, productivity or optical purity. Among various solvents evaluated, toluene was found to be the most suitable organic solvent and methanol was the best alcohol for the esterification of racemic 1 by immobilized lipase. Substrate concentrations as high as 1.0 m were used in the esterification reaction. When the temperature was increased from 28° C to 60° C, the reaction time required for the esterification of 0.1 m substrate decreased from 16 h to 2 h. On increasing the methanol to substrate molar ratio from 1:1 to 4:1, the rate of esterification decreased. A lipase fermentation using Pseudomonas sp. ATCC 21 808 was developed. In the batch-fermentation process, 56 units/ml of extracellular lipase activity was obtained. A fed-batch process using soybean oil gave a significant increase in the lipase activity (126 units/ml). Crude lipase recovered from the filtrate by ethanol precipitation and immobilized on Accurel PP was also effective: S-(−) compound 1 was obtained in 35 mol% yield and 95% optical purity.