Abstract

The biohydrolysis of four racemic styrene oxide derivatives has been explored, using the (recombinant) Solanum tuberosum epoxide hydrolase. Interestingly, this enzyme showed a marked tendency to operate a so-called enantioconvergent process, thus affording the corresponding ( R)-diol in a nearly quantitative yield and good to excellent ee. We have demonstrated that this is due to the fact that the ( S)-enantiomer of these epoxides was preferably attacked at the (benzylic) more substituted carbon atom, whereas the ( R)-epoxide was attacked at the (terminal) less substituted carbon atom. The thus obtained meta- and para-chlorostyrene diol derivatives are important building blocks in the synthesis of various biologically active molecules. A nine cycles repeated batch reactor was performed starting from racemic meta-chlorostyrene oxide and afforded a 100% analytical yield (88% preparative) of the corresponding diol, obtained with ees as high as 97%.

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