Towards preparative peroxygenase-catalyzed oxyfunctionalization reactions in organic media

- The peroxygenase from Agrocybe aegerita can be used under non-aqueous reaction conditions.
- Limitations of the non-aqueous reaction conditions comprise low specific activity of the immobilized biocatalyst and stability issues.
- Nevertheless, preparative scale oxyfunctionalization reactions could be performed.

The peroxygenase from Agrocybe aegerita (AaeUPO) has been evaluated for stereoselective oxyfunctionalization chemistry under non-aqueous reaction conditions.The stereoselective hydroxylation of ethylbenzene to (R)-1-phenylethanol was performed in neat substrate as reaction medium together with the immobilized biocatalyst and tertBuOOH as oxidant.Stability and activity issues still have to be addressed. Nevertheless, gram-scale production of enantiopure (R)-1-phenylethanol was achieved with respectable 90,000 turnovers of the biocatalyst.

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