Highly efficient and enantioselective enzymatic acylation of amines in aqueous medium

A new strategy based on the unique catalytic properties. stability and enan tioselectivity of the relatively unknown penicillin acylase from Alcaligene s faecalis has been developed for the effective and enantioselective acylat ion of amines in aqueous medium. In contrast to lipase-catalyzed acylations in organic solvents. the penicillin acylase-catalyzed acylation of amines in aqueous solution is a rapid and chemoselective process leading to a prod uct which can subsequently be deacylated by the same enzyme, imposing secon dary enantiocontrol and leading to effective resolution. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.