The hydroxylation of unactivated carbon atoms employing methods developed i
n the realms of classical organic chemistry is difficult to achieve and the
processes available lack the degree of chemo-, regio- and enantioselectivi
ty required for organic synthesis. To improve this situation, the concept o
f docking/protecting groups should enable the organic chemist to employ bio
hydroxylation as an easy tool for preparative work. Similar to the common p
ractice of using protective groups in organic chemistry, a docking/protecti
ng (dip) group is introduced first, then the biotransformation is performed
, and finally the d/p group is removed. The aim of this concept is not only
to avoid time consuming microorganism screening methods, but also to impro
ve hydroxylation position predictability, prevent undesired side reactions,
aid substrate detection, and product recovery. This approach is successful
ly applied to carboxylic acids, ketones, aldehydes, and alcohols.