Td. Black et al., O-PHTHALYL AMIDASE IN THE SYNTHESIS OF LORACARBEF - PROCESS-DEVELOPMENT USING THIS NOVEL BIOCATALYST, Biotechnology letters, 18(8), 1996, pp. 875-880
A dephthalylation step utilizing a novel enzyme, o-phthalyl amidase, w
as developed. This step was part of a potentially new large scale synt
hetic route for a novel beta-lactam antibiotic Loracarbef. The enzyme
was isolated from the organism Xanthobacter agilis. Purification of th
e enzyme to near homogeneity was accomplished by a 3-step procedure. S
tudies indicated that the phthalimido group can be opened chemically t
o generate the o-phthalyl derivative. This enzyme then can remove the
phthalyl group from o-phthalylated amides. Optimization of the process
was achieved by combining these two hydrolysis steps. Conversion yiel
ds of 85-97.8% (mol/mol) were obtained from reactions at substrate con
centrations of 5-10% (w/v).