A novel resolution of a pharmaceutically important bridged bicyclic ketone intermediate via selective enzymatic reduction with a commercially available ketoreductase

Abstract

An efficient route to the pharmaceutically important (6 S,9 R)-11-oxo-5,6,7,8,9,10-hexahydro-6,9-methanobenzocyclooctene intermediate has been demonstrated via kinetic resolution of 11-oxo-5,6,7,8,9,10-hexahydro-6,9-methanobenzocyclooctene using a commercially available ketoreductase. Biocatalytics KRED 101 has been shown to selectively reduce the (6 R,9 S) enantiomer leaving behind the desired (6 S,9 R) enantiomer. This novel reaction is the first demonstration of a high yielding (44% versus 50% maximum theoretical yield) highly stereoselective (>99% ee) resolution of a bicyclic ketone, via enzymatic reduction using a commercially available ketoreductase, where the stereochemistry of the substrate is determined by a bridged ring system. Several challenges were overcome, including enhancing the selectivity of the enzyme by controlling temperature and increasing substrate solubility by employing a combination of cyclodextrin and organic co-solvent in the aqueous reaction system.