Laccases and Phenol Oxidases in Organic Synthesis – a Review

摘要

This is a review of recent progress in developing biocatalytic reactions involving two major groups ofnphenol oxidases, viz., laccases (benzenediol:oxygen oxidoreductase E.C. 1.10.13.2) and polyphenol oxidasesn(phenol: oxygen oxidoreductase, E.C. 1.14.18.1, also known as tyrosinase). Oxidases catalyse reactions involvingndirect activation of oxygen, and within this group, the multi-copper oxidases catalyse the four-electron reduction ofnoxygen to water with the concomitant one-electron oxidation of a substrate. Such reactions, applied in biocatalyticnsystems, provide effective methods to achieve oxyfunctionalisation, (particularly asymmetric oxyfunctionalisationnreactions) and routes to controlled and predictable formation of oxy- and hydroxylated products, and polymers. Thenreview includes discussion of the characteristics of these enzymes which are of relevance to their application asnbiocatalysts