Identification of Fungal Limonene-3-Hydroxylase for Biotechnological Menthol Production.

More than 30,000 tons of menthol are produced every year as a flavor and fragrance compound or as a medical component. So far, only extraction from plant material and chemical synthesis are possible. An alternative approach for menthol production could be a biotechnological-chemical process with ideally only two conversion steps, starting from (+)-limonene, which is a side product of the citrus processing industry. The first step requires a limonene-3-hydroxylase (L3H) activity that specifically catalyzes hydroxylation of limonene at carbon atom 3. Several protein engineering strategies have already attempted to create limonene-3-hydroxylases from bacterial cytochrome P450 monooxygenases (CYPs, or P450s), which can be efficiently expressed in bacterial hosts. However, their regiospecificity is rather low compared to that of the highly selective L3H enzymes from the biosynthetic pathway for menthol in Mentha species. The only naturally occurring limonene-3-hydroxylase activity identified in microorganisms so far was reported for a strain of the black yeast-like fungus Hormonema sp. in South Africa. We have discovered additional fungi that can catalyze the intended reaction and identified potential CYP-encoding genes within the genome sequence of one of the strains. Using heterologous gene expression and biotransformation experiments in yeasts, we were able to identify limonene-3-hydroxylases from Aureobasidium pullulans and Hormonema carpetanum Further characterization of the A. pullulans enzyme demonstrated its high stereospecificity and regioselectivity, its potential for limonene-based menthol production, and its additional ability to convert α- and ß-pinene to verbenol and pinocarveol, respectively.IMPORTANCE (-)-Menthol is an important flavor and fragrance compound and furthermore has medicinal uses. To realize a two-step synthesis starting from renewable (+)-limonene, a regioselective limonene-3-hydroxylase enzyme is necessary. We identified enzymes from two different fungi which catalyze this hydroxylation reaction and represent an important module for the development of a biotechnological process for (-)-menthol production from renewable (+)-limonene.

Flow Chemistry under Extreme Conditions: Synthesis of Macrocycles with Musklike Olfactoric Properties.

Starting from small cyclic ketones, continuous flow synthesis is used to produce medium-sized rings and macrocycles that are relevant for the fragrance industry. Triperoxides are important intermediates in this process and are pyrolyzed at temperatures above 250 °C. The synthesis is carried out in two continuously operated flow reactors connected by a membrane-operated separator. The practicality of flow chemistry is impressively demonstrated in this work by the use of hazardous reagent mixtures (30% H2O2, 65% HNO3) and the pyrolysis of no less problematic peroxides. All new macrocycles were tested for their olfactory properties in relation to musk.

Recent results in the search for new molecules with ambergris odor.

The synthesis of new odorant molecules is still a challenging task for the fragrance chemist, because now as ever it is difficult to predict the odor properties of small organic molecules. Therefore, certain tools, such as, e.g., lead-structure optimization of existing odorants, are helpful techniques. In this article, we describe the synthesis and the odor properties of a new molecule derived by the so-called 'seco' lead-structure optimization of the ambergris compound Ambroxide(®) . Based on these results, more representatives with similar structures have been synthesized and evaluated for their olfactory properties.

Selective Wacker type oxidation of a macrocyclic diene to the corresponding monounsaturated ketone used as fragrance.

A selective reaction method for the efficient conversion of an isomeric mixture of 1,9-cyclohexadecadiene (1,9-CHDD) to the corresponding monounsaturated cyclohexadec-8-en-1-one (8-CHD) is described. 8-CHD was synthesized via Wacker type oxidation at room temperature using a highly electrophilic in situ formed dicationic palladium species. Isomerisation of the diene and over-oxidation of the substrate could be nearly suppressed by suitable reaction control, which has a positive effect on selectivity. The utilization of molecular oxygen as a green oxidant and environmentally benign iron(iii) salts as co-catalysts was successfully applied. This reaction strategy is promising to overcome the low overall reactivity of internal olefins in Wacker type oxidations. In addition, larger scale experiments showed further potential for industrial application.

Heterogeneously Catalysed Oxidative Dehydrogenation of Menthol in a Fixed-Bed Reactor in the Gas Phase.

For the first time, the oxidative dehydrogenation of (-)-menthol to (-)-menthone and (+)-isomenthone in a marketable quality was carried out in a continuous gas phase reactor as a sustainable process using molecular oxygen as green oxidant and solid catalysts which do not contaminate the product mixture and which are easily to remove. The diastereomeric purity remained largely unchanged. Three types of catalysts were found to be very active and selective in the formation of menthone and isomenthone: AgSr/SiO2, CuO distributed on a basic support and RuMnCe/CeO2, where Ru, Mn and Ce exist in an oxidized state. The best overall yield of menthon/isomenthone obtained with an Ag-based catalyst was 58 % at 64 % selectivity, with a Cu-based catalyst 41 % at 51 % selectivity and with a Ru-based catalyst 68 % at 73 % selectivity. Reaction conditions were widely optimized.

New oxa-bridged macrocycles.

In creating new aroma molecules, the fragrance chemist can make use of several tools: receptor or combinatorial research as well as lead structure optimization of existing chemicals or substances from the natural pool. Sometimes, it is also possible to discover new structures via another way: the careful analysis of existing products and their production processes. In analyzing the production process of 1-oxacyclohexadecan-2-one (6), we identified at least two new oxa-bridged macrocyclic molecules. In continuation, these results inspired us to synthesize and evaluate more representatives with similar structures. In this contribution, presented at the RSC/SCI conference 'flavours & fragrances 2007' in London, September 24-26, 2007, the synthesis and olfactory properties of several new oxa-bridged macrocycles will be introduced and discussed.

Timberol® Inhibits TAAR5-Mediated Responses to Trimethylamine and Influences the Olfactory Threshold in Humans.

In mice, trace amine-associated receptors (TAARs) are interspersed in the olfactory epithelium and constitute a chemosensory subsystem that is highly specific for detecting volatile amines. Humans possess six putative functional TAAR genes. Human TAAR5 (hTAAR5) is highly expressed in the olfactory mucosa and was shown to be specifically activated by trimethylamine. In this study, we were challenged to uncover an effective blocker substance for trimethylamine-induced hTAAR5 activation. To monitor blocking effects, we recombinantly expressed hTAAR5 and employed a commonly used Cre-luciferase reporter gene assay. Among all tested potential blocker substances, Timberol®, an amber-woody fragrance, is able to inhibit the trimethylamine-induced hTAAR5 activation up to 96%. Moreover, human psychophysical data showed that the presence of Timberol® increases the olfactory detection threshold for the characteristic fishy odor of trimethylamine by almost one order of magnitude. In conclusion, our results show that among tested receptors Timberol® is a specific and potent antagonist for the hTAAR5-mediated response to trimethylamine in a heterologous system. Furthermore, our data concerning the observed shift of the olfactory detection threshold in vivo implicate that hTAAR5 or other receptors that may be inhibited by Timberol® could be involved in the high affinity olfactory perception of trimethylamine in humans.

New woody and ambery notes from cedarwood and turpentine oil.

The development of a new product in the chemical industry is still driven by needs like technical properties, price/performance ratio, biodegradability, or product safety. However, in terms of improving more and more on ecological criteria, summarized under such catchphrases as sustainable development or green chemistry, another important aspect is to use renewable resources as starting materials. This is not significantly new in fragrance chemistry, and there are a lot of raw materials in the perfume oils that are derived from molecules of renewable resources. Two commonly used materials are: longifolene (from turpentine oil) and cedrene (from cedarwood oil). These compounds are very suitable for the synthesis of woody and ambery notes, and even though it seemed that all possibilities were exhausted, it is actually still feasible to discover new molecules with excellent olfactory properties such as Ambrocenide (50a), which is available in three steps from alpha-cedrene. Some of these molecules will be treated in this review, both with respect to synthesis as well as structural and sensory aspects.