The concept of docking and protecting groups in biohydroxylation.

The hydroxylation of unactivated carbon atoms employing methods developed in the realms of classical organic chemistry is difficult to achieve and the processes available lack the degree of chemo-, regio- and enantioselectivity required for organic synthesis. To improve this situation, the concept of docking/protecting groups should enable the organic chemist to employ biohydroxylation as an easy tool for preparative work. Similar to the common practice of using protective groups in organic chemistry, a docking/protecting (d/p) group is introduced first, then the biotransformation is performed, and finally the d/p group is removed. The aim of this concept is not only to avoid time consuming microorganism screening methods, but also to improve hydroxylation position predictability, prevent undesired side reactions, aid substrate detection, and product recovery. This approach is successfully applied to carboxylic acids, ketones, aldehydes, and alcohols.

The Concept of Docking/Protecting Groups in Biohydroxylation.

A general principle for biohydroxylation, in which time-consuming screening and enrichment techniques are avoided, is demonstrated by the introduction of a docking/protecting group into the substrate. This facilitates acceptance by the microorganism and allows the use of a narrow range of microorganisms, for example Beauveria bassiana ATTC 7159 (B. b.), for the hydroxylation of compounds with diverse structures. After the biohydroxylation, the docking/protecting group is removed (see scheme).

Stereospecific Biohydroxylations of Protected Carboxylic Acids with Cunninghamella blakesleeana.

Cunninghamella blakesleeana DSM 1906 was found to be an efficient biocatalyst for the biotransformation of cycloalkylcarboxylic acids into hydroxy and oxo derivatives. When cultivated in submerged culture, the fungus grew in pellets. In comparison with malt extract-glucose-peptone-yeast extract medium (medium E), Czapek-Dox medium was found to reduce pellet size. Cycloalkylcarboxylic acids were protected against microbial degradation by chemical transformation into 2-cycloalkyl-1,3-benzoxazoles. The transformations of protected cyclopentyl-, cyclohexyl-, cycloheptyl-, and cyclooctylcarboxylic acids by C. blakesleeana were investigated. The biotransformations were performed in medium E by using an aerated, stirred-tank bioreactor. The transformation of 2-cyclopentyl-1,3-benzoxazole yielded (1S,3S)-3-(benz-1,3-oxazol-2-yl)cyclopentan-1-ol as the main product. The main by-product was (1R)-3-(benz-1,3-oxazol-2-yl)cyclopentan-1-one, and 2-(benz-1,3-oxazol-2-yl)cyclopentan-1-ol was also obtained in small amounts. During the experiment, the enantiomeric excess of the main product increased up to 64%. 2-Cyclohexyl-1,3-benzoxazole was hydroxylated to 4-(benz-1,3-oxazol-2-yl)cyclohexan-1-ol. 2-Cycloheptyl-1,3-benzoxazole and 2-cyclooctyl-1,3-benzoxazole were transformed into several alcohols and ketones, all in low yields (2 to 19%).

A one-step C-linked disaccharide synthesis from carbohydrate allylsilanes and tri-O-acetyl-D-glucal.

The reaction of protected glucuronic esters 2 and 7, as well as D-glucuronolactone derivative 11, with (trimethylsilyl)methylmagnesium chloride in ether led to the corresponding stable bis-silyl adducts 3, 8, and 12, respectively. In Peterson-type reactions catalysed with mild acid, these compounds yielded carbohydrate allylsilanes 4, 9, and 13, respectively. Synthons 4 and 9 were coupled with tri-O-acetyl-D-glucal in a boron trifluoride-catalysed "carbon-Ferrier rearrangement" reaction to give C-linked disaccharides i.e., so-called "C-disaccharides" 16 and 17, respectively, in fair yields. Structural assignments of the anomeric configuration at the C-glycosylic carbon in the 2,3-unsaturated ring of these coupling products with the aid of n.m.r. spectroscopic methods unambiguously showed that alpha-D-C-linked disaccharides had been formed.