Practical application of recombinant whole-cell biocatalysts for the manufacturing of pharmaceutical intermediates such as chiral alcohols

We have developed efficient biocatalytic processes for the preparation of chiral alcohols, such as (R)-1,3-butanediol, ethyl (S)-4-chloro-3-hyroxybutanoate, ethyl (R)-4-chloro-3-hyroxybutanoate, (S)-5-chloro-2-pentanol, (R)-5-chloro-2-pentanol, and (S)-cyclopropylethanol by stereospecific enzymatic oxidoreduction on a practical level. These chiral alcohols are very important synthons for the synthesis of various pharmaceutical intermediates that lead to antibiotics and inhibitors of HMG-CoA reductase. Here, we present practical applications on biocatalysis using novel recombinant whole-cell biocatalysts that catalyzed enantioselective oxidation and asymmetric reduction with a coenzyme regeneration system.