Synthesis of enantiopure fluorohydrins using alcohol dehydrogenases at high substrate concentrations

Article abstract of DOI:10.1021/jo400962c

The use of purified and overexpressed alcohol dehydrogenases to synthesize enantiopure fluorinated alcohols is shown. When the bioreductions were performed with ADH-A from Rhodococcus ruber overexpressed in E. coli, no external cofactor was necessary to obtain the enantiopure (R)-derivatives. Employing Lactobacillus brevis ADH, it was possible to achieve the synthesis of enantiopure (S)-fluorohydrins at a 0.5 M substrate concentration. Furthermore, due to the activated character of these substrates, a huge excess of the hydrogen donor was not necessary.