Environmentally friendly liquid phase oxidation: enhanced selectivity in the aerial oxidation of alkyl aromatics,epoxidations and the Baeyer–Villiger oxidation using novel silica supported transition metal ions

Active transition metal species (Co, Cu, Cr, Ni or Mn) supported on a chemically modified silica gel are used as heterogeneous catalysts in a range of liquid phase oxidation reactions: alkyl aromatic side chain oxidations, epoxidations of alkenes and Baeyer–Villiger oxidations of linear ketones to esters and cyclic ketones to lactones. The catalyst employs metal centres bound to the silica surface via a hydrophobic spacer chain and is thus chemically robust and has a relatively high loading for a supported reagent (c 0.4 mmol g⁻¹). The Cr version of the catalyst promotes the oxidation of ethylbenzene to acetophenone in a solvent‐free system at a rate of 5.5% h⁻¹ (>370 turnover h⁻¹). It is also active for the oxidation of p‐chlorotoluene and p‐xylene to p‐chlorobenzoic acid and p‐toluic acid respectively. Cyclohexene is converted to its oxide at room temperature at a rate of c 28% h⁻¹ (c 12 turnover h⁻¹) using either the Ni or Cu versions of the catalyst. The room temperature Baeyer–Villiger oxidation of cyclohexanone is achieved at a rate of 44% h⁻¹ (49 turnover h⁻¹) using the Ni‐containing catalyst. The same material also promotes the Baeyer–Villiger oxidation of linear aliphatic ketones and aromatic side chains. All the above systems use either air or molecular oxygen as the oxidant rather than peroxides or peracids. © 1999 Society of Chemical Industry     

Exploring the Substrate Specificity and Enantioselectivity of a Baeyer–Villiger Monooxygenase from Dietzia sp. D5: Oxidation of Sulfides and Aldehydes

Baeyer–Villiger monooxygenases (BVMOs) are valuable enzymes for specific oxyfunctionalization chemistry. They catalyze the oxidation of ketones to esters, but are also capable of oxidizing other chemical functions, namely aldehydes and heteroatoms such as sulfur, nitrogen, selenium and boron. The oxidation specificity and enantioselectivity of a newly characterized BVMO (BVMO4) from a strain of Dietzia towards sulfide- and aldehyde substrates have been studied. BVMO4 could react with sulfides containing an aromatic group. The presence of a substituent on the aromatic group was tolerated when they were in the meta- and para position and the oxidations yielded predominantly the (R)-sulfoxides. Similarly, BVMO4 displayed a higher activity for aldehydes containing a phenyl group, but long aliphatic aldehydes, namely octanal and decanal, were also accepted as substrate by this enzyme. The major oxidation products of the aldehyde substrates were the respective carboxylic acids in contrast to formate ester that was obtained in most of the previous reports. The Baeyer–Villiger oxidation of the substrate 2-phenylpropionaldehyde was studied in further detail and the corresponding acid product was obtained with good regio- and enantioselectivity. This is a unique feature for BVMO4 and is of great interest for further exploration of an alternative biocatalytic process.     

Biosynthesis of Hygrocins,Antitumor Naphthoquinone Ansamycins Produced by Streptomyces sp. LZ35

Hygrocins are naphthoquinone ansamycins with significant antitumor activities. Here, we report the identification and characterization of the hygrocin biosynthetic gene cluster (hgc) in Streptomyces sp. LZ35. A biosynthetic pathway is proposed based on bioinformatics analysis of the hgc genes and intermediates accumulated in selected gene disruption mutants. One of the steps during the biosynthesis of hygrocins is a Baeyer–Villiger oxidation between C5 and C6, catalyzed by luciferase‐like monooxygenase homologue Hgc3. Hgc3 represents the founding member of a previously uncharacterized family of enzymes acting as Baeyer–Villiger monooxygenases.     

A New Type of Stereoselectivity in Baeyer–Villiger Reactions: Access to E‐ and Z‐Olefins

A new concept for accessing configurationally defined trisubstituted olefins has been developed. Starting from a common ketone precursor of the type 4‐ethylidenecyclohexanone, Baeyer–Villiger monooxygenases are employed as catalysts in diastereoselective Baeyer–Villiger reactions leading to the corresponding E‐ or Z‐configurated lactones. Wild‐type cyclohexanone monooxygenase (CHMO) as catalyst delivers the E‐isomers and a directed evolution mutant the opposite Z‐isomers. Subsequent transition metal‐catalyzed chemical transformations of a key product containing a vinyl bromide moiety provide a variety of different trisubstituted E‐ or Z‐olefins. A model based on QM/MM sheds light on the origin of this unusual type of diastereoselectivity. In contrast to this biocatalytic approach, traditional Baeyer–Villiger reagents such as m‐CPBA fail to show any selectivity, 1:1 mixtures of E‐ and Z‐olefins being formed.     

Supported Sulfonic Acid as Green and Efficient Catalyst for Baeyer–Villiger Oxidation with 30% Aqueous Hydrogen Peroxide

Silica‐supported propylsulfonic acid is a very good heterogeneous catalyst for the Baeyer–Villiger oxidation of cyclic ketones to lactones with stoichiometric 30% aqueous hydrogen peroxide in 1,1,1,3,3,3‐hexafluoro‐2‐propanol as solvent.     

Aureobasidium subglaciale F134 is a bifunctional whole-cell biocatalyst for Baeyer–Villiger oxidation or selective carbonyl reduction controllable by temperature

The microbial production of either ester/lactones or enantio-enriched alcohols through Baeyer–Villiger oxidation or stereoselective reduction of ketones, respectively, is possible by using whole cells of A. subglaciale F134 as a bifunctional biocatalyst. The chemoselective pattern of acetophenone biotransformation catalyzed by these cells can be regulated through reaction temperature, directing the reaction either towards oxidation or reduction products. The Baeyer–Villiger oxidation activity of A. subglaciale F134 whole cells is particularly dependent on reaction temperature. Acetophenone was transformed efficiently to phenol via the primary Baeyer–Villiger product phenyl acetate at 20 °C after 48 h with 100% conversion. In contrast, at 35 °C, enantio-enriched (S)-1-phenylethanol was obtained as the sole product with 64% conversion and 89% ee. In addition, A. subglaciale F134 cells also catalyze the selective reduction of various structurally different aldehydes and ketones to alcohols with 40% to 100% yield, indicating broad substrate spectrum and good enantioselectivity in relevant cases. Our study provides a bifunctional biocatalyst system that can be used in Baeyer–Villiger oxidation as well as in asymmetric carbonyl reduction, setting the stage for future work concerning the identification and isolation of the respective enzymes.     

Kinetically guided high-yield and rapid production of ε-caprolactone in a microreactor system

Industrial production of ε-caprolactone, the monomer of biodegradable polycaprolactone, consists of acetic acid peroxidation and the Baeyer–Villiger oxidation of cyclohexanone in semi-batch reactors. The strong exothermic feature of the latter and ease of ε-caprolactone hydrolysis significantly affects the production efficiency. Here, collective effects of kinetic studies and density functional theory (DFT) calculations reveal activation energy of the Baeyer–Villiger oxidation is higher than that of ε-caprolactone hydrolysis and the hydrolysis barrier is controlled by hydrogen bond energy of the reaction medium. Then, we developed a microreactor system to intensify heat transfer thereby allowing safe and efficient production of ε-caprolactone. A yield of 99.6% was achieved within minutes via consecutive two-step reactions of peroxidation and the Baeyer–Villiger oxidation, as compared with state-of-the-art yield of 96% in hours of industrial operation. The high selectivity is attributed to high reaction temperature allowed by the microreactor and DFT-guided choice of solvent to mitigate the hydrolysis.     

A flavoprotein monooxygenase that catalyses a Baeyer-Villiger reaction and thioether oxidation using NADH as the nicotinamide cofactor

A gene from the marine bacterium Stenotrophomonas maltophilia encodes a 38.6 kDa FAD‐containing flavoprotein (Uniprot B2FLR2) named S. maltophilia flavin‐containing monooxygenase (SMFMO), which catalyses the oxidation of thioethers and also the regioselective Baeyer–Villiger oxidation of the model substrate bicyclo[3.2.0]hept‐2‐en‐6‐one. The enzyme was unusual in its ability to employ either NADH or NADPH as nicotinamide cofactor. The K_M and k_cat values for NADH were 23.7±9.1 μM and 0.029 s^?1 and 27.3±5.3 μM and 0.022 s^?1 for NADPH. However, k_cat/K_M value for the ketone substrate in the presence of 100 μM cofactor was 17 times greater for NADH than for NADPH. SMFMO catalysed the quantitative conversion of 5 mM ketone in the presence of substoichiometric concentrations of NADH with the formate dehydrogenase cofactor recycling system, to give the 2‐oxa and 3‐oxa lactone products of Baeyer–Villiger reaction in a ratio of 5:1, albeit with poor enantioselectivity. The conversion with NADPH was 15 %. SMFMO also catalysed the NADH‐dependent transformation of prochiral aromatic thioethers, giving in the best case, 80 % ee for the transformation of p‐chlorophenyl methyl sulfide to its R enantiomer. The structure of SMFMO reveals that the relaxation in cofactor specificity appears to be accomplished by the substitution of an arginine residue, responsible for recognition of the 2′‐phosphate on the NADPH ribose in related NADPH‐dependent FMOs, with a glutamine residue in SMFMO. SMFMO is thus representative of a separate class of single‐component, flavoprotein monooxygenases that catalyse NADH‐dependent oxidations from which possible sequences and strategies for developing NADH‐dependent biocatalysts for asymmetric oxygenation reactions might be identified.     

The Catalytic Baeyer–Villiger Oxidation of Cyclohexanone to ε-Caprolactone over Stibium-containing Hydrotalcite

A series of hydrotalcite-like compounds were prepared under microwave irradiation, which were used to catalyze the Baeyer–Villiger oxidation of cyclohexanone to ε-caprolactone with hydrogen peroxide as oxidant. The results show that stibium-containing hydrotalcite (Sb-HTL) has good catalytic properties in the reaction. In the Baeyer–Villiger oxidation of cyclohexanone to ε-caprolactone with H₂O₂ catalyzed by Sb-HTL, the effects of reaction time, reaction temperature, amount of catalyst and H₂O₂/cyclohexanone molar ratio are also investigated in details. It is shown the cyclohexanone conversion and ε-caprolactone selectivity can reach 79.15 and 93.84%, respectively, under the optimum reaction conditions. Furthermore, Sb-HTL can be reused for six times without obvious loss of activity and selectivity. Therefore, Sb-HTL is reusable and would be a promising catalyst for the Baeyer–Villiger oxidation using green and cheap oxidants like hydrogen peroxide instead of peroxycarboxylic acids.     

Application of a thermostable Baeyer–Villiger monooxygenase for the synthesis of branched polyester precursors

BACKGROUND

It is widely accepted that the poor thermostability of Baeyer–Villiger monooxygenases limits their use as biocatalysts for applied biocatalysis in industrial applications. The goal of this study was to investigate the biocatalytic oxidation of 3,3,5‐trimethylcyclohexanone using a thermostable cyclohexanone monooxygenase from Thermocrispum municipale (TmCHMO) for the synthesis of branched ?‐caprolactone derivatives as building blocks for tuned polymeric backbones. In this multi‐enzymatic reaction, the thermostable cyclohexanone monooxygenase was fused to a phosphite dehydrogenase (PTDH) in order to ensure co‐factor regeneration.

RESULTS

Using reaction engineering, the reaction rate and product formation of the regio‐isomeric branched lactones were improved and the use of co‐solvents and the initial substrate load were investigated. Substrate inhibition and poor product solubility were overcome using continuous substrate feeding regimes, as well as a biphasic reaction system with toluene as water‐immiscible organic solvent. A maximum volumetric productivity, or space–time‐yield, of 1.20 g L^‐1 h^‐1 was achieved with continuous feeding of substrate using methanol as co‐solvent, while a maximum product concentration of 11.6 g L^‐1 was achieved with toluene acting as a second phase and substrate reservoir.

CONCLUSION

These improvements in key process metrics therefore demonstrate progress towards the up‐scaled Baeyer–Villiger monooxygenase‐biocatalyzed synthesis of the target building blocks for polymer application. © 2018 The Authors. Journal of Chemical Technology & Biotechnology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.

     

Direct Access to Medium‐Chain α,ω‐Dicarboxylic Acids by Using a Baeyer–Villiger Monooxygenase of Abnormal Regioselectivity

Baeyer–Villiger monooxygenases (BVMOs) are versatile biocatalysts in organic synthesis that can generate esters or lactones by inserting a single oxygen atom adjacent to a carbonyl moiety. The regioselectivity of BVMOs is essential in determining the ratio of two regioisomers for converting asymmetric ketones. Herein, we report a novel BVMO from Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PaBVMO); this has been exploited for the direct synthesis of medium‐chain α,ω‐dicarboxylic acids through a Baeyer–Villiger oxidation–hydrolysis cascade. PaBVMO displayed the highest abnormal regioselectivity toward a variety of long‐chain aliphatic keto acids (C₁₆–C₂₀) to date, affording dicarboxylic monoesters with a ratio of up to 95 %. Upon chemical hydrolysis, α,ω‐dicarboxylic acids and fatty alcohols are readily obtained without further treatment; this significantly reduces the synthetic steps of α,ω‐dicarboxylic acids from renewable oils and fats.     

Clean Baeyer–Villiger Oxidation Using Hydrogen Peroxide as Oxidant Catalyzed by Aluminium Trichloride in Ethanol

Baeyer–Villiger oxidation of ketones was carried out using AlCl₃ as catalyst, H₂O₂ (30%) as oxidant in innocuity and environmentally friendly ethanol conditions. Cyclic ketones and acyclic ketones were transformed into the corresponding lactones or esters in 5–24 h at 40–70 °C with very high conversion and selectivity. A possible reaction mechanism was also given.     

Biosynthetic Origin of the Antibiotic Cyclocarbamate Brabantamide A (SB‐253514) in Plant‐Associated Pseudomonas.

Within the framework of our genome‐based program to discover new antibiotic lipopeptides from Pseudomonads, brabantamides A–C were isolated from plant‐associated Pseudomonas sp. SH‐C52. Brabantamides A–C displayed moderate to high in vitro activities against Gram‐positive bacterial pathogens. Their shared structure is unique in that they contain a 5,5‐bicyclic carbamate scaffold. Here, the biosynthesis of brabantamide A (SB‐253514) was studied by a combination of bioinformatics, feeding experiments with isotopically labelled precursors and in vivo and in vitro functional analysis of enzymes encoded in the biosynthetic pathway. The studies resulted in the deduction of all biosynthetic building blocks of brabantamide A and revealed an unusual feature of this metabolite: its biosynthesis occurs via an initially formed linear di‐lipopeptide that is subsequently rearranged by a novel FAD‐dependent Baeyer–Villiger monooxygenase.     

Biosynthetic Code for Divergolide Assembly in a Bacterial Mangrove Endophyte

Divergolides are structurally diverse ansamycins produced by a bacterial endophyte (Streptomyces sp.) of the mangrove tree Bruguiera gymnorrhiza. By genomic analyses a gene locus coding for the divergolide pathway was detected. The div gene cluster encodes genes for the biosynthesis of 3‐amino‐5‐hydroxybenzoate and the rare extender units ethylmalonyl‐CoA and isobutylmalonyl‐CoA, polyketide assembly by a modular type I polyketide synthase (PKS), and enzymes involved in tailoring reactions, such as a Baeyer–Villiger oxygenase. A detailed PKS domain analysis confirmed the stereochemical integrity of the divergolides and provided valuable new insights into the formation of the diverse aromatic chromophores. The bioinformatic analyses and the isolation and full structural elucidation of four new divergolide congeners led to a revised biosynthetic model that illustrates the formation of four different types of ansamycin chromophores from a single polyketide precursor.     

A new hybrid porphyrin-heteropolyacid material: Synthesis,characterization and investigation as catalyst in Baeyer–Villiger oxidation. Synergistic effect

A new tetraphenylporphyrin-tungstophosphoric acid hybrid was synthesized and physico-chemically characterized by different techniques. This hybrid, its molybdenum analogue, tungstophosphoric and molybdophosphoric acids as well as their Mn, Fe and Co salts were applied in Baeyer–Villiger oxidation of cyclohexanone to caprolactone with molecular oxygen. Due to the synergistic effect porphyrin-heteropolyacid hybrids exhibit similar catalytic activity as appropriate heteropoly salts and much higher activity than parent heteropolyacids.     

Effective Baeyer–Villiger oxidation of ketones over germanosilicates

Germanosilicates with various topologies (UTL, BEC, UWY, IWR) serve as efficient heterogeneous catalysts for the Baeyer–Villiger oxidation of ketones. The tetrahedrally coordinated Ge ions in germanosilicates exhibited Lewis acidity, and acted as the active sites for converting ketones to corresponding lactones effectively.     

Sodium Perborate—A Convenient Baeyer–Villiger Oxidation Reagent in the Synthesis of the Corey Aldehyde

Sodium perborate tetrahydrate is a cheap, safe and readily available alternative to the commonly used peracetic acid for the Baeyer–Villiger oxidation step of the Corey aldehyde synthesis. Chloroketo acid 1 is smoothly converted by sodium perborate tetrahydrate in formic acid to the chloroketolactone 2 in 66% isolated yield. In contrast to previously reported reactions using other oxidants, the formation of the lactone is completely regioselective in favour of the “bridgehead‐migrated” isomer 2 .     

The Complex Synergy of Water in Metal/Bromide Autoxidations. Part II. Effect of Water and Catalyst on the Aerobic Oxidation of Benzaldehydes and the Effect of Water on the Elementary Catalytic Pathways

All of the rates of the elementary steps in the Co/Br and Co/Mn/Br homogeneous, liquid‐phase catalyzed reactions decrease with increasing water concentration in acetic acid. The step‐wise replacement of the acetic acid ligands by water ligands in the coordination sphere of the catalyst metals may be responsible for this behavior. The non‐catalyzed and metal‐catalyzed (Co, Co/Mn/Br and Co/Mn) aerobic oxidations of benzaldehyde and 4‐methylbenzaldehyde are reported. The non‐catalyzed autoxidations are quite vigorous reactions in acetic acid/water mixtures but by‐products from the Baeyer–Villiger reaction, the thermal decomposition of the peroxy acid, and over‐oxidation to carbon dioxide limit the yield to the aromatic carboxylic acids. As the concentration of a Co or Co/Mn/Br catalyst increases these by‐products are first reduced and then eliminated probably due to the very fast, selective reaction of [Co(II)]₂ with the peroxy acid. A Co/Mn catalyst completely inhibits the autoxidation of the benzaldehydes. There is a gradual change in the yield of terephthaldicarboxaldehyde from 4‐methylbenzaldehyde with increasing Co/Mn/Br concentration suggesting that the non‐catalyzed steps are being replaced by catalyzed ones. The autoxidation of heptaldehyde generates about 500 times more carbon monoxide than does benzaldehyde using a Co/Mn/Br catalyst and gives only a 50% yield to heptanoic acid consistent with excessive amounts of decarbonylation with aliphatic aldehydes.     

Organoselenium‐Catalyzed Baeyer–Villiger Oxidation of α,β‐Unsaturated Ketones by Hydrogen Peroxide to Access Vinyl Esters

By carefully screening the organoselenium pre‐catalysts and optimizing the reaction conditions, simple dibenzyl diselenide was found to be the best pre‐catalyst for Baeyer–Villiger oxidation of (E)‐α,β‐unsaturated ketones with the green oxidant hydrogen peroxide at room temperature. The organoselenium catalyst used in this reaction could be recycled and reused several times. This new method was suitable not only for methyl unsaturated ketones, but also for alkyl and aryl unsaturated ketones. Therefore, it provided a direct, mild, practical, highly functional group‐tolerant process for the chemoselective preparation of the versatile (E)‐vinyl esters from the readily available (E)‐α,β‐unsaturated ketones. A possible mechanism was also proposed to rationalize the activity of the organoselenium catalyst in the presence of hydrogen peroxide in this Baeyer–Villiger oxidation reaction.

     

Directed Evolution by Using Iterative Saturation Mutagenesis Based on Multiresidue Sites

Iterative saturation mutagenesis (ISM) in combination with reduced amino acid alphabets has been shown to be an efficient method for directed evolution. In order to minimize the screening effort, the number of residues in a given randomization site has thus far been restricted to two or three; this prevents oversampling from reaching astronomical numbers when 95 % library coverage is aimed for. In this study, ISM is applied for the first time by using randomization sites composed of five amino acid positions. The use of just two such sites (A and B) results in two different ISM pathways, A→B and B→A. A severely reduced amino acid alphabet (only five members) was employed for the building blocks—a minimal set of structurally representative amino acids. The Baeyer–Villiger monooxygenase PAMO was chosen as the enzyme for this proof‐of‐principle study. The test system employed tuning of activity and diastereoselectivity in the oxidation of 4‐(bromomethylidene)cyclohexanone, which is not accepted by wild‐type PAMO. Although only 8–9 % library coverage was ensured (as calculated by traditional statistics), notable activity and 99 % diastereoselectivity were obtained, thus indicating that such an ISM strategy is viable in protein engineering.