Towards preparative peroxygenase-catalyzed oxyfunctionalization reactions in organic media

The peroxygenase from Agrocybe aegerita (AaeUPO) has been evaluated for stereoselective oxyfunctionalization chemistry under non-aqueous reaction conditions. The stereoselective hydroxylation of ethylbenzene to (R)-1-phenylethanol was performed in neat substrate as reaction medium together with the immobilized biocatalyst and (BuOOH)-Bu-tert as oxidant. Stability and activity issues still have to be addressed. Nevertheless, gram-scale production of enan-tiopure (R)-1-phenylethanol was achieved with respectable 90,000 turnovers of the biocatalyst. (C) 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V.