title: Efficient kinetic resolution of secondary alcohols using an organic solvent-tolerant esterase in non-aqueous medium.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To identify an esterase-mediated kinetic resolution of secondary alcohols in non-aqueous medium.
  
  
  RESULTS
  An esterase, EST4, from a marine mud metagenomic library, showed high activity and enantioselectivity for the kinetic resolution of secondary alcohols in non-aqueous medium. Using 1-phenylethanol as the model alcohol, the effects of organic solvents, acyl donors, molar ratio, temperatures and biocatalyst loading on the kinetic resolution catalyzed by the EST4 whole-cell biocatalyst were investigated and optimized. The optimized methodology was effective on resolving 16 various racemic secondary alcohols in neat n-hexane, providing excellent enantiomeric excess (up to 99.9 % ee). Moreover, EST4 exhibited a strong tolerance for high substrate concentration (up to 1 M), and the optical purity of the desired secondary alcohols was kept above 99 % ee.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The esterase EST4 is a promising biocatalyst for the enantioselective synthesis of various alcohols and esters with interesting practical applications.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, New World Institute of Biotechnology, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, 200237, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Wenyuan
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, New World Institute of Biotechnology, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, 200237, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Haiyang
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Fan
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, New World Institute of Biotechnology, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, 200237, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Lifeng
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, New World Institute of Biotechnology, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, 200237, People's Republic of China. hlwang@ecust.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Hualei
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, New World Institute of Biotechnology, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, 200237, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Dongzhi
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wei
mesh_terms: D000438:Alcohols / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D004950:Esterases / Q000378:metabolism*; D007700:Kinetics; D012997:Solvents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D013237:Stereoisomerism
chemical_list: D000438:Alcohols; D012997:Solvents; D004950:Esterases
keywords: Enantioselectivity; Esterase; High substrate concentration tolerance; Kinetic resolution; Secondary alcohols; Transesterification