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Asymmetric Syntheses Aided by Biocatalysts
Author(s) -
PeiRan Chen,,
JianXin Gu,,
ZbiLiang Wei,,
ShiQing Han,,
ZnYi Li,,
GuoQiang Lin,
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
chinese journal of chemistry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.28
H-Index - 41
eISSN - 1614-7065
pISSN - 1001-604X
DOI - 10.1002/cjoc.20030210802
Subject(s) - hydrocyanation , chemistry , optically active , catalysis , biocatalysis , organic chemistry , alcohol , combinatorial chemistry , organic synthesis , yeast , reaction mechanism , biochemistry
Abstract This article summarizes the achievements of the authors' group in the area of biocatalyst‐catalyzed organic reactions in recent 10 years. A strain of Geotrichum sp. obtained by screening is capable of stereoselectively reducing a number of carbonyl compounds. In many cases, the stereochemistry is complementary with that obtained by baker' s yeast. Therefore, this microorganism provides a useful pathway to the preparation of alcohol compounds with specific configurations. On the other hand, a number of plant sources have been screened for oxynitrilases and the hydrocyanation reactions of various arylcarboxaldehydes have been investigated. A “micro‐aqueous reaction system” was invented, by which a series of novel optically active cyanohydrins were prepared. On this basis, a high through‐put continuous reaction system has been designed. This paper also describes examples of the syntheses of bio‐active compounds by using the optically active compounds obtained from the above‐mentioned catalytic reactions as precursors.