Four Enzymatic Reactions in One Pot

Significance

A biomimetic oxidation-reduction sequence for deracemizing secondary alcohols has been developed. The method employs four independent enzymatic reactions, without any compartmentalization of reaction media. Particularly the first reaction includes the alcohol dehydrogenase 1 (ADH)-mediated oxidation of a single enantiomer of racemic alcohol rac-2 to ketone 3. The consumed NADP⁺-equivalent is regained by a second, independent enzymatic operation, using an oxidase (4). Subsequently following ADH (5)-mediated ketone reduction converts ketone 3 enantioselectively into the desired enantiopure alcohol, under consumption of an NADH equivalent. NADH is recovered in a fourth independent enzymatic transformation, involving a formate dehydrogenase 6.