Preparation of optically active cyanohydrins using the (S)-hydroxynitrile lyase from Hevea brasiliensis

Article abstract of DOI:10.1016/0040-4020(96)00354-7

Several aliphatic, aromatic and heteroaromatic aldehydes have been converted into the chiral cyanohydrins using the (S) hydroxynitrile lyase from Hevea brasiliensis. The corresponding cyanohydrins were obtained in moderate to good yield and high enantiomeric excess with the exeption of phenyloxyacetaldehyde, benzyloxyacetaldehyde and the pyrrole-, pyridine- and indolealdehydes investigated. In contrast to previously reported results, cinnamaldehyde could be converted into (S)-(-)-2-hydroxy-4-phenyl-(E)-but-3- enenitrile with good selectivity by means of optimized reaction conditions.