Yeast-mediated preparation of l-PAC in an organic solvent

✍ Scribed by Margaret M. Kostraby; Andrew J. Smallridge; Maurie A. Trewhella

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 2002
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 95 KB
• Volume: 77
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0006-3592
• DOI: 10.1002/bit.10117

✦ Synopsis

Abstract

The yeast‐mediated acyloin condensation of benzaldehyde and pyruvic acid to form l‐PAC occurs in a petroleum spirit solvent system at room temperature with moderate conversion (30%) and high enantioselectivity (86%ee) after 24 h. The addition of a small amount of ethanol (0.5% mL) to the reaction mixture inhibits the formation of the side product benzyl alcohol and increases the conversion to l‐PAC. Conducting the reaction using ^13^C‐labeled pyruvate indicated that the pyruvate was incorporated into the l‐PAC and that the excess pyruvate was converted into ethanol. Conducting the reaction at 5°C results in similar conversion but higher enantioselectivity. © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Biotechnol Bioeng 77: 827–831, 2002; DOI 10.1002/bit.10117