Method for producing optically active alcohols from alkanones using a dehydrogenase of azoarcus

US7785847B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• BASF SE

Inventors

• Rainer Stürmer · Bad Dürkheim, DE
• Maria Keβeler · Mannheim, DE
• Bernhard Haur · Neheim, DE
• Thomas Friedrich · Darmstadt, DE
• Michael Breuer · Darmstadt, DE
• Hartwig Schröder · Nümbrecht, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: May 4, 2005
• Grant date: Aug 31, 2010
• Expiry date: Oct 21, 2027

Classification

• Technology area (CPC C): Chemistry; Metallurgy
• CPC primary: C12P17/00
• WIPO field: Organic fine chemistry
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for producing the optically active alkanols of formula (I), wherein n is an integer of from 0 to 5; Cyc represents an optionally substituted, mononuclear or polynuclear, saturated or unsaturated, carbocylic or heterocyclic ring, and R1 represents halogen, SH, OH, NO2, NR2R3 or NR2R3R4+X−, wherein R2, R3 and R4 independently represent H or a lower alkyl or lower alkoxy group and X− represents a counterion. According to the invention, an enzyme (E) selected from the groups of dehydrogenases, aldehyde reductases and carbonyl reductases is incubated in a medium containing the alkanone of formula (II), wherein n, Cyc and R1 are defined as above, in the presence of reduction equivalents. The compound of formula (II) is enzymatically reduced to the compound of formula (I) and the reduction equivalents consumed during reaction are regenerated by reacting a sacrificial alcohol to the corresponding sacrificial ketone using enzyme (E) and at least partially removing the sacrificial ketone from the reaction medium, and then isolating the product (I) so produced.