Current Organic Chemistry - Volume 7, Issue 13, 2003

The Present issue of Current Organic Chemistry is dedicated to Enzymatic Catalysis. There is no doubt that enzymes are gaining an utmost important in organic chemistry thanks to their well-known selectivity (chemo-, regio- and enantio-) displayed under mild and environmental friendly reaction conditions. Moreover, the impressive development of molecular biology is making available an increasing number of enzymes Read More

The use of nitrile hydratases (RCN + H2O → RCONH2) and nitrilases (RCN + 2 H2O → RCOO- + NH4 +) in biocatalysis attracts profound attention from the beginning of 1980s since it provides a useful alternative to the conventional nitrile hydrolysis using strong acid or base catalysts. In the past 5 years the potential of this branch of biotransformations has been broadened significantly by both the isolation of new mesophilic Read More

Ammonia-lyases catalyze a wide range of processes leading to α,β-unsaturated compounds by elimination of ammonia having few features in common. They utilize an extraordinary range of prosthetic groups; e.g. coenzyme B12, dipyrromethane cofactor, pyridoxal-phosphate, or the 3,5-dihydro-5-methylidene-4H-imidazol- 4-one (MIO) prosthetic groups. In this work, ammonia-lyases are reviewed with major emphasis on Read More

This is a review of recent progress in developing biocatalytic reactions involving two major groups of phenol oxidases, viz., laccases (benzenediol:oxygen oxidoreductase E.C. 1.10.13.2) and polyphenol oxidases (phenol: oxygen oxidoreductase, E.C. 1.14.18.1, also known as tyrosinase). Oxidases catalyse reactions involving direct activation of oxygen, and within this group, the multi-copper oxidases catalyse t Read More

Enzymatic synthesis in reaction mixtures with mainly undissolved substrates and / or products is a synthetic strategy in which the compounds are present mostly as pure solids. It retains the main advantages of conventional enzymatic synthesis such as high regio- and stereoselectivity, absence of racemisation and reduced side-chain protection. The reaction yields are improved and the necessity to use organic solvents to shift th Read More

This work describes the use of enzyme-mediated reactions for the preparation of enantiomerically enriched chiral fragrances. The main floral, musk and woody-ambery odorants employed in fine and functional perfumery are taken into consideration.

There has been an increasing awareness of the enormous potential of microorganisms and enzymes for the transformation of synthetic chemicals with high chemo-, regio- and enatioselective manner. Chiral intermediates are in high demand from pharmaceutical industries for the preparation bulk drug substances. In this review article, microbial / enzymatic processes mainly taken from the research carried out at BMS have be Read More

In vitro synthesis of polyphenols using isolated enzymes as catalyst via non-biosynthetic pathways is reviewed. Various phenols have been subjected to an oxidative polymerization catalyzed by peroxidase, laccase, or bilirubin oxidase under mild reaction conditions. In most cases, polyphenols with a mixed structure of phenylene and oxyphenylene units have been formed. By utilizing specific enzymatic catalysis, regio- and chemosel Read More

Applications of enzymes in industrial and food processes have undergone remarkable developments in several areas in the last 10-20 years: detergent, textile, grain wet milling, food, monogastric animal feed, pulp & paper, leather, natural polymer modifications, organic chemical synthesis, diagnostics, etc. Recombinant DNA technology and protein engineering are currently the main technologies in the design and Read More