Enzymatic production of the key motelukast intermediate

摘要

As this case study shows, investment in the development of optimised enzymes for chiral synthesis can return a number of advantages, including improved yield, higher stereochemical purity and lower cost. Processes can also be made 'green-by-design', reducing the waste burden and simplifying the overall manufacturing operation.rnThe biocatalytic stereoselective reduction of ketones has become well-established, with a number of current examples and may more under development. Now the scope of enzyme-catalysedrnreactions is broadening to include such new chemistries as C=C reduction, reductive amination, transamination, nitrile hydrolysis, nudeophilic epox-ide opening, chiral sulphoxidation, Baeyer-Villiger oxidation and many others.2rnAs we continue to expand the range of enzymatic reactions that can be used at the commercial scale, biocatalysis will become a mainstream approach for chemical synthesis.