Combination of Olefin Metathesis and Enzymatic Ester Hydrolysis in Aqueous Media in a One-Pot Synthesis

A new synthetic method for the preparation of cyclic malonic acid monoesters in aqueous media was developed based on the combination of a metathesis reaction and subsequent biocatalytic hydrolysis with a pig liver esterase in a one-pot synthesis. Both reaction steps proceed smoothly under optimized conditions in aqueous media requiring only a low amount of the metal catalyst for the metathesis reaction. Notably, the applied biocatalyst turned out to be highly compatible with the metal catalyst showing no significant influence on the enzyme activity.