Laccase-mediated Oxidations of Propargylic Alcohols. Application in the Deracemization of 1-arylprop-2-yn-1-ols in Combination with Alcohol Dehydrogenases

摘要

The catalytic system composed by the laccase from Trametes versicolor and the oxy-radical TEMPO has been successfully applied in the sustainable oxidation of fourteen propargylic alcohols. The corresponding propargylic ketones were obtained in most cases in quantitative conversions (87->99 % yield), demonstrating the efficiency of the chemoenzymatic methodology in comparison with traditional chemical oxidants, which usually lead to problems associated with the formation of by-products. Also, the stereoselective reduction of propargylic ketones was studied using alcohol dehydrogenases such as the one from Ralstonia species overexpressed in E. coli or the commercially available evo-1.1.200, allowing the access to both alcohol enantiomers mostly with complete conversions and variable selectivities depending on the aromatic pattern substitution (97->99 % ee). To demonstrate the compatibility of the laccase-mediated oxidation and the alcohol dehydrogenase-catalyzed bioreduction, a deracemization strategy starting from the racemic compounds was developed through a sequential one-pot two-step process, obtaining a selection of (S)- or (R)-1-arylprop-2-yn-1-ols with excellent yields (>98 %) and selectivities (>98 % ee) depending on the alcohol dehydrogenase employed.