Microbiological transformations 52.: Biocatalysed Baeyer-Villiger oxidation of 1-indanone derivatives

The microbiological Baeyer-Villiger oxidation of various substituted 1-indanones is described. Three bacterial strains have been explored: an E. coli TOP10 [pQR239] constructed to overexpress the cyclohexanone monoxygenase(CHMO)of Acineto-bacter calcoaceticus NCIMB 9871, an E. coli TOP10 [hapE] strain recently constructed to overexpress4-hydroxyacetophenone monoxygenase (HAPMO) of Pseudomonas fluorescens ACB and the wild type Pseudomonas sp. NCIMB 9872 strain known to metabolise cyclopentanone. This last strain oxidised some of the proposed substrates, leading to the corresponding lactones with good to excellent yields depending on the aromatic ring substituents. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.