( R)-Selective Nitroaldol Reaction Catalyzed by Metal-Dependent Bacterial Hydroxynitrile Lyases.

The nitroaldol (Henry) reaction is a valuable C−C bond-forming reaction resulting in β-nitro alcohols, which are important building blocks for the synthesis of bioactive compounds. Metal-dependent bacterial hydroxynitrile lyases with a cupin fold couple nitromethane or nitroethane and various aldehydes to yield ( R)-β-nitro alcohols with up to 90 % conversion and up to ≥99 % enantiomeric excess. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]