Volume 58, Issue 10 pp. 3138-3142
Communication

Enantioselective Aminohydroxylation of Styrenyl Olefins Catalyzed by an Engineered Hemoprotein

Inha Cho

Inha Cho

Division of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering MC 210-41, California Institute of Technology, 1200 East California Blvd, Pasadena, CA, 91125 USA

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Dr. Christopher K. Prier

Dr. Christopher K. Prier

Division of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering MC 210-41, California Institute of Technology, 1200 East California Blvd, Pasadena, CA, 91125 USA

Current address: Merck Research Laboratories, Merck & Co., P.O. Box 2000, Rahway, NJ, 07065 USA

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Dr. Zhi-Jun Jia

Dr. Zhi-Jun Jia

Division of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering MC 210-41, California Institute of Technology, 1200 East California Blvd, Pasadena, CA, 91125 USA

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Ruijie K. Zhang

Ruijie K. Zhang

Division of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering MC 210-41, California Institute of Technology, 1200 East California Blvd, Pasadena, CA, 91125 USA

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Dr. Tamás Görbe

Dr. Tamás Görbe

Division of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering MC 210-41, California Institute of Technology, 1200 East California Blvd, Pasadena, CA, 91125 USA

Current address: School of Engineering Sciences in Chemistry, Biotechnology, and Health, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Science for Life Laboratory 23, Tomtebodavägen, 17165 Solna, Sweden

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Prof. Frances H. Arnold

Corresponding Author

Prof. Frances H. Arnold

Division of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering MC 210-41, California Institute of Technology, 1200 East California Blvd, Pasadena, CA, 91125 USA

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First published: 02 January 2019
Citations: 114

Graphical Abstract

Go direct: A hemoprotein catalyst was engineered to transform alkenes directly to amino alcohols with high enantioselectivity. Derived by directed evolution from a thermostable cytochrome c, the protein catalyst uses O-pivaloylhydroxylamine to generate a reactive iron-nitrogen species.

Abstract

Chiral 1,2-amino alcohols are widely represented in biologically active compounds from neurotransmitters to antivirals. While many synthetic methods have been developed for accessing amino alcohols, the direct aminohydroxylation of alkenes to unprotected, enantioenriched amino alcohols remains a challenge. Using directed evolution, we have engineered a hemoprotein biocatalyst based on a thermostable cytochrome c that directly transforms alkenes to amino alcohols with high enantioselectivity (up to 2500 TTN and 90 % ee) under anaerobic conditions with O-pivaloylhydroxylamine as an aminating reagent. The reaction is proposed to proceed via a reactive iron-nitrogen species generated in the enzyme active site, enabling tuning of the catalyst's activity and selectivity by protein engineering.

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