Photobiocatalytic synthesis of chiral secondary fatty alcohols from renewable unsaturated fatty acids

Wuyuan Zhang, Jeong Hoo Lee, Sabry H.H. Younes, Fabio Tonin, Peter Leon Hagedoorn, Harald Pichler, Yoonjin Baeg, Jin Byung Park, Robert Kourist, Frank Hollmann*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

En route to a bio-based chemical industry, the conversion of fatty acids into building blocks is of particular interest. Enzymatic routes, occurring under mild conditions and excelling by intrinsic selectivity, are particularly attractive. Here we report photoenzymatic cascade reactions to transform unsaturated fatty acids into enantiomerically pure secondary fatty alcohols. In a first step the C=C-double bond is stereoselectively hydrated using oleate hydratases from Lactobacillus reuteri or Stenotrophomonas maltophilia. Also, dihydroxylation mediated by the 5,8-diol synthase from Aspergillus nidulans is demonstrated. The second step comprises decarboxylation of the intermediate hydroxy acids by the photoactivated decarboxylase from Chlorella variabilis NC64A. A broad range of (poly)unsaturated fatty acids can be transformed into enantiomerically pure fatty alcohols in a simple one-pot approach.

Original languageEnglish
Article number2258
JournalNature Communications
Volume11
Issue number1
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Dec 2020

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General Chemistry
  • General Biochemistry,Genetics and Molecular Biology
  • General Physics and Astronomy

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