title: Asymmetric reduction of beta-ketonitriles with a recombinant carbonyl reductase and enzymatic transformation to optically pure beta-hydroxy carboxylic acids.
abstract: Alpha-ethylation is concomitant with the reduction of aromatic beta-ketonitriles catalyzed by whole-cell biocatalysts. Use of isolated carbonyl reductase has completely eliminated this competing reaction. (R)-beta-Hydroxy nitriles were obtained via a reduction catalyzed by a recombinant carbonyl reductase with excellent optical purity and were further converted to (R)-beta-hydroxy carboxylic acids via a nitrilase-catalyzed hydrolysis. The present study allows ready access to both chiral beta-hydroxy nitriles and beta-hydroxy carboxylic acids of pharmaceutical importance.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Southern Methodist University, Dallas, Texas 75275, USA.
authors.forename: Dunming
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Haribabu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ankati
authors.forename: Chandrani
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mukherjee
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Edward R
authors.initials: ER
authors.lastname: Biehl
authors.forename: Ling
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Hua
mesh_terms: D000429:Alcohol Oxidoreductases / Q000378:metabolism*; D002264:Carboxylic Acids / Q000378:metabolism*; D015394:Molecular Structure; D009249:NADP / Q000378:metabolism; D009570:Nitriles / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D002264:Carboxylic Acids; D009570:Nitriles; D009249:NADP; D000429:Alcohol Oxidoreductases