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Chiral intermediates S-(+)-2-pentanol and S-(+)-2-heptanol were prepared by a lipase-catalyzed enzymatic resolution proces. Among various lipases evaluated for the stereoselective acylation of racemic alcohols, lipase B from Candida antarctica catalyzed the acylation of the undesired enantiomer of racemic alcohols leaving the desired S-(+)-alcohols unreacted. A reaction yield of 43–45% and an enantiomeric excess (e.e.) of >99% were obtained for S-(+)-2-pentanol or S-(+)-2-heptanol when the reaction was carried out using vinyl acetate or succnic anhydride as acylating agent. In an alternative process, an enantioselective hydrolysis of 2-pentyl acetate was demonstrated using lipase B giving S-(+)-2-pentyl acetate and R-(−)-2-pentanol. A reaction yield of 45% and an e.e. of 98.6% were obtained for S-(+)-2-pentyl acetate.

The chiral intermediate (1S,2R) [3-chloro-2-hydroxy-1-(phenylmethyl)propyl] carbamic acid, 1,1-dimethylethyl ester 2a was prepared for the total synthesis of a human immunodeficiency virus protease inhibitor, BMS-186318. The stereoselective reduction of (1S) [3-chloro-2-oxo-1(phenylmethyl)propyl] carbamic acid, 1,1-dimethylethyl ester 1 was carried out using microbial cultures, among which Streptomyces nodosus SC 13149 efficiently reduced 1 to 2a. A reaction yield of 80%, enantiomeric excess (e.e.) of 99.8%, and diastereomeric purity of 99% were obtained for chiral alcohol 2a. Chiral l-6-hydroxy norleucine 3, an intermediate in the synthesis of antihypertensive drug, was prepared by reductive amination of 2-keto-6-hydroxyhexanoic acid 4 using beef liver glutamate dehydrogenase. The cofactor NADH required for this reaction was regenerated using glucose dehydrogenase from Bacillus sp. A reaction yield of 80% and e.e. of 99.5% were obtained for l-6-hydroxynorleucine 3. To avoid the lengthy chemical synthesis of the ketoacid, a second route was developed in which racemic 6-hydroxynorleucine [readily available from hydrolysis of 5-(4-hydroxybutyl) hydantoin 5] was treated with d-amino acid oxidase from Trigonopsis variabilis to selectively convert the d-isomer of racemic 6-hydroxynorleucine to 2-keto-6-hydroxyhexanoic acid 4 and l-6-hydroxynorleucine 3. Subsequently, the 2-keto-6-hydroxyhexanoic acid 4 was converted to l-6-hydroxynorleucine by reductive amination using glutamate dehydrogenase. A reaction yield of 98% and an e.e. of 99.5% were obtained.

Chiral intermediates were prepared by biocatalytic processes for the chemical synthesis of three pharmaceutical drug candidates. These include (i) the synthesis of [(3R-cis)-3-(acetyloxy)-4-phenyl-2-azetidinone2 for the semi-synthesis of paclitaxel (taxol)5, an anticancer compound; (ii) synthesis of chiral (exo,exo)-7-oxabicyclo [2.2.1] heptane-2,3-dimenthanol monoacetate ester9 for the chemoenzymatic preparation of a thromboxane A2 antagonist; (iii) the enzymatic synthesis ofS-(−) 3-benzylthio-2-methylpropanoic acid, a key chiral intermediate for the synthesis of antihypertensive drugs captopril10 or zofenopril13.

Chiral intermediates were prepared by biocatalytic processes for the chemical synthesis of four pharmaceutical drug candidates. These include: (i) the microbial reduction of 3,5-dioxo-6-(benzyloxy) hexanoic ethyl ester to (3S,5R)-dihydroxy-6-(benzyloxy) hexanoic acid ethyl ester, an intermediate for a new anticholesterol drug; (ii) synthesis of (2R,3S)-(-)-N-benzoyl-3-phenyl isoserine ethyl ester, a taxol side-chain synthon; (iii) the microbial oxygenation of 2,2-dimethyl-2H-1-benzopyran-6-carbonitrile to the corresponding (3S,4S) epoxide and (3S,4R)-trans diol, intermediates for synthesis of potassium channel opener; (iv) the biotransformation of (exo,exo)-7-oxabicyclo [2.2.1] heptane-2,3-dimethanol to the corresponding chiral lactol and lactone, intermediates for thromboxane A2 antagonist.