Efficient enzymatic synthesis of l-rhamnulose and l-fuculose

l-Rhamnulose (6-deoxy-l-arabino-2-hexulose) and l-fuculose (6-deoxy-l-lyxo-2-hexulose) were prepared from l-rhamnose and l-fucose by a two-step strategy. In the first reaction step, isomerization of l-rhamnose to l-rhamnulose, or l-fucose to l-fuculose was combined with a targeted phosphorylation reaction catalyzed by l-rhamnulose kinase (RhaB). The by-products (ATP and ADP) were selectively removed by silver nitrate precipitation method. In the second step, the phosphate group was hydrolyzed to produce l-rhamnulose or l-fuculose with purity exceeding 99% in more than 80% yield (gram scale).

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