Continuous production of enantiopure 12-epoxyhexane by yeast epoxide hydrolase in a two-phase membrane bioreactor

A two-phase membrane bioreactor was developed to continuously produce enant iopure epoxides using the epoxide hydrolase activity of Rhodotorula glutini s. An aqueous/organic cascade, hydrophilic, hollow-fiber membrane bioreacto r was used: (1) to carry out large-scale resolution of epoxides, (2) to con tinuously extract residual enantiopure epoxides from the aqueous phase, and (3) to separate inhibitory formed diol from the yeast cells contained in t he aqueous phase. Dodecane was employed to dissolve-feed epoxide as well as to extract residual epoxide. 1,2-Epoxyhexane was used as a model substrate . By use of this membrane bioreactor, enantiopure (S)-1,2-epoxyhexane (>98% enantiomeric excess) was obtained with a volumetric productivity of 3.8 g l(-1) h(-1). The continuous-production system was operated for 12 days and resulted in 38 g enantiopure (S)-1,2-epoxyhexane.