DEVELOPMENT OF THE ENZYME-CATALYZED BAEYER-VILLIGER REACTION AS A USEFUL TECHNIQUE IN ORGANIC-SYNTHESIS

The current practices of using monooxygenase enzymes to perform regio- and stereoselective oxidation reactions in organic syntheses are revie wed. The isolation of a monooxygenase from Pseudomonas putida NCIMB 10 007 and its use in the conversion of bicyclo[3.2.0]hept-2-en-6-one int o two isomeric optically active lactones is described. The monooxygena se utilises NADH as cofactor and NADH-recycling is accomplished using formate and formate dehydrogenase. As alternative methodology, it is s hown that a secondary alcohol can be converted into a chiral lactone u sing a dehydrogenase and a monooxygenase working in tandem with in sit u cofactor recycling. (C) 1993 Wiley-Liss, Inc.