Synthesis of chiral amines using redox biocatalysis

Chiral amines feature in a large number of small molecule pharmaceuticals, and thus methods for their asymmetric synthesis are of considerable interest. Biocatalytic approaches have come to the fore in recent years as these offer advantages of superior atom economy, mild reaction conditions and excellent stereoselectivity. Advances in redox cofactor process technology have meant that oxidoreductase enzymes in particular now have growing potential as industrial catalysts for amine formation. In this review we survey recent developments in the discovery and application of oxidoreductase enzymes for amine production, including Monoamine Oxidases (MAOs), engineered and natural Amine Dehydrogenases (AmDHs), Imine Reductases (IREDs) and Reductive Aminases (RedAms), in addition to their application in enzyme cascades.