ISSN print edition: 0366-6352 ISSN electronic edition: 1336-9075 Registr. No.: MK SR 9/7 Published monthly

Stereoselective Reduction of 2-Phenylpropionaldehyde by Alcohol Dehydrogenase with Cofactor Regeneration

I. Kelemen-Horváth, N. Nemestóthy, K. Bélafi-Bakó, and L. Gubicza

Research Institute of Chemical and Process Engineering, University of Kaposvár, 8200 Veszprém, Hungary

E-mail: kelemen@mukki.richem.hu

Received: 29 March 2001

Abstract: Stereoselective reduction of 2-phenylpropionaldehyde catalyzed by alcoholdehydrogenase was investigated. Because of the water insolubility of thesubstrate and the target product (2-phenyl-1- propanol) organic solvent wasused. The process was intensified by the cofactor (NADH) regeneration in thesame media, using ethanol/acetaldehyde reaction as hydrogen carrier system. Theaim of the study was to realize the enzymatic process and in situ cofactorregeneration, simultaneously.
Laboratory experiments in shake flasks system were carried out todetermine the optimal reaction conditions. Gas chromatography was used tofollow the conversion and the enantioselectivity of this reaction. Differentorganic solvents were tested and isopropyl ether was found the most suitable. Inwater–isopropyl ether solvent system (φ_r(V_W/V_O) = 37/63), optically pure (min. 95 %) (S)-2- phenyl-1-propanol was producedwith 25% yield after 2 h of reaction time.

Full paper in Portable Document Format: 561a52.pdf

Chemical Papers 56 (1) 52–56 (2002)