Flavouring and odorant thiols from renewable natural resources by InIII-catalysed hydrothioacetylation and lipase-catalysed solvolysis

A chemoenzymatic access to thiol compounds, including ethyl 3-thiobutanoate, 3-thio-p-menthene and 8-thio-p-menthan-2-one, three compounds of interest in flavour and fragrance chemistry presenting various fruity notes, is proposed. It involves an indium(III)-catalysed hydrothioacetylation of renewable precursors followed by an enzymatic solvolysis of the obtained thioesters by lipases in aqueous or organic solvents.