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The NADP(H)-dependent reductive aminase from Aspergillus oryzae (AspRedAm) was combined with an NADPH oxidase (NOX) to develop a redox system that recycles the co-factor. The AspRedAm-NOX system was applied initially for the kinetic resolution of a variety of racemic secondary and primary amines to yield S-configured amines with enantiomeric excess (ee) values up to 99 %. The addition of ammonia borane to this system enabled the efficient deracemization of racemic amines, including the pharmaceutical drug rasagiline and the natural product salsolidine, with conversions up to >98 % and >99 % ee Furthermore, by using the AspRedAm W210A variant it was possible to generate the opposite R enantiomers with efficiency comparable to, or even better than, the wildtype AspRedAm.

A novel amine oxidase (AO)/imine reductase (IRED) system was developed for the deracemization of racemic amines. By combining (R)-6-hydroxy-d-nicotine oxidase (6-HDNO) with an (R)-IRED, a panel of racemic 2-substituted piperidines and pyrrolidines were deracemized to yield the (S)-amines in high yields and enantiomeric excess values. Other N-heterocycles were deracemized with monoamine oxidase (MAO-N) or 6-HDNO in combination with ammonia borane, which allowed comparison of the two enzyme deracemization approaches with that involving a chemical reducing agent.

Amine oxidases are useful bio-catalysts for the synthesis of enantiomerically pure 1°, 2° and 3° chiral amines. Enzymes in this class (e.g., MAO-N from Aspergillus niger) reported previously have been shown to be highly S selective. Herein we report the development of an enantiocomplementary R-selective amine oxidase based on 6-hydroxy-D-nicotine oxidase (6-HDNO) with broadened substrate scope and high enantioselectivity. The engineered 6-HDNO enzyme has been applied to the preparative deracemisation of a range of racemic amines to yield S-configured products, for example, (S)-nicotine, in high ee.