Deracemization of α-monosubstituted cyclopentanones in the presence of a TADDOL-type host molecule

Racemic α-monosubstituted cyclopentanones were converted to optically active forms by a thermodynamically controlled deracemization using TADDOL-type host molecule 1 in alkaline aqueous MeOH. The efficiency of this conversion was strongly influenced by the ratio of the solvent components (H₂O/MeOH) and the functionality and architecture of the α-side-chain on the cyclopentanones. For example, (R)-2-(2-benzyloxyethyl)cyclopentanone (9) was obtained in 89% yield with 97% ee using a 7:3 mixture of H₂O/MeOH as the solvent. X-ray analytical studies were also carried out and disclosed the nature of this chiral molecular recognition process in the solid phase.     

Enantio-complementary deracemization of (±)-2-hydroxy-4-phenylbutanoic acid and (±)-3-phenyllactic acid using lipase-catalyzed kinetic resolution combined with biocatalytic racemization

Deracemization of (±)-3-phenyllactic acid (1) and (±)-2-hydroxy-4-phenylbutanoic acid (2) was accomplished by lipase-catalysed kinetic resolution coupled to biocatalytic racemization of the non-reacting substrate enantiomers using Lactobacillus paracasei DSM 20008. Cyclic repetition of this sequence led to a single enantiomeric product from the racemate. Access to both enantiomers was achieved by switching between lipase-catalysed acyl-transfer and ester hydrolysis reactions. Both products constitute important building blocks for virus protease- and ACE-inhibitors, respectively.     

珊瑚色诺卡氏菌全细胞催化（RS）-4-氟苯甘氨酸去消旋化为（S）-4-氟苯甘氨酸

珊瑚色诺卡氏菌CGMCC 4.1037 全细胞能够催化4-氟苯甘氨酸的（R）-对映体立体反转为（S）-对映体,相反方向的反应不能发生。研究了反应条件对（R）-4-氟苯甘氨酸立体反转的影响。在最优反应条件下,5mmol/L（R）-4-氟苯甘氨酸和10mmol/L（RS）-4-氟苯甘氨酸分别立体反转和去消旋化为（S）-4-氟苯甘氨酸,产率为52%和63%,ee为99.5%和99.2% 。（RS）-4-氟苯甘氨酸的去消旋化过程是通过珊瑚色诺卡氏菌CGMCC 4.1037 全细胞中的两个酶催化反应实现的。（R）-氨基酸氧化酶催化（R）-4-氟苯甘氨酸氧化脱氨形成4-氟苯甲酰甲酸,（S）-氨基酸转移酶催化4-氟苯甲酰甲酸转氨化为（S）-4-氟苯甘氨酸。讨论了4-氟苯甘氨酸两个对映体的代谢途径。     

Deracemization of a Macrocyclic 1,1′‐Biisoquinoline

The macrocyclic biisoquinoline 14 was synthesized in just four preparative steps starting from the simple biscarboxaldehyde 8 . The interaction with camphorsulfonic acid induces an acid‐catalyzed partial deracemization.     

One-Handed Helical Polyacetylenes Bearing Axially-Chiral 2-Arylpyridyl-N-Oxide Units for Efficient Chromatographic Enantioseparation of Chiral Aromatic and Aliphatic Alcohols

A series of poly(biarylylacetylene)s (PBAs) bearing axially-chiral (S)-and (R)-pyridyl-N-oxide residues with a methoxy, propoxy, or acetyloxy substituent at the 3-position of the biaryl units was synthesized. All the PBAs formed a preferred-handed helix, while the helical sense preference was varied depending on the substituents despite the same twist-sense of the biaryl units. Among them, the propoxy-bound helical PBA showed an exceptionally high chiral recognition ability as a chiral stationary phase (CSP) for high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and efficiently resolved not only various chiral aromatic alcohols, but also a variety of chiral aliphatic alcohols; the latter still remains difficult to resolve by commercially-available CSPs in HPLC. Such practically-useful both handed helical PBA-based CSPs can be produced from the racemic PBA composed of fully racemic monomer units through deracemization of the biaryl units with a chiral alcohol.     

Alcohol dehydrogenase-catalyzed oxidation

Alcohol dehydrogenases (ADHs) catalyze the reversible oxidation of primary and secondary alcohols to the corresponding aldehydes or carboxylic acids and ketones, respectively, under mild conditions, which may minimize the environmental impact compared to the traditional chemical counterpart. In this short review, we briefly report recent advances in the development of ADH-catalyzed oxidation employed both as single biocatalysts but also in multienzyme cascades of reactions. Current bottlenecks, prospects, and future outlooks in the field are addressed.     

A facile and practical method of preparing optically active α-monosubstituted cycloalkanones by thermodynamically controlled deracemization

Racemic 2-monosubstituted cycloalkanones were converted to R-isomers when TADDOLs (e.g., 1a, b) were used as host molecules in alkaline aqueous MeOH. The efficiency of this thermodynamically controlled deracemization was strongly influenced by the mixture ratio of the solvent, H₂O/MeOH. Based on this finding, an improved method of preparing (R)-2-monosubstituted cycloalkanones with higher optical purity was developed. For example, (R)-2-(4-methylbenzyl)cyclohexanone (5) was obtained in 85% yield with 98% ee, when a 1:1 mixture of H₂O/MeOH was used as the solvent in the presence of 1a.     

Stereochemical Editing

Stereochemical editing has recently risen to prominence, allowing the direct editing of organic molecules with stereocenter(s) to adjust their relative stereochemistry at a late-stage. Several seminal light-driven stereochemical editing reactions such as deracemization and epimerization have been successively developed. Recently, Wendlandt and co-workers reported a versatile photochemical epimerization of unactivated tertiary stereogenic centers to rapidly prepare the stereoisomers that were previously challenging to access.