Frontiers in Catalysis (Jan 2024)

Biocatalytic route scouting and enzyme screening toward the synthesis of α-benzyl L-glutamate

  • Peter J. L. M. Quaedflieg,
  • Lisanne M. H. Jente,
  • Monika Müller,
  • Linda Vermote,
  • Victor Plesciuc,
  • Jan-Metske van der Laan,
  • Lone Nielsen,
  • Martin Schürmann

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3389/fctls.2023.1285074
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 3

Abstract

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We here report four biocatalytic approaches for the synthesis of the protected amino acid building block α-benzyl L-glutamate. Screenings of these routes to identify active and selective enzymes were conducted, and major hits were confirmed in retest reactions. In the first approach, N-Boc L-glutamic acid is mono-benzylesterified by the protease Alcalase with 81% yield; and in the other three approaches, a biocatalytic γ-selective hydrolysis of α,γ-dibenzyl L-glutamate, a selective amide hydrolysis of α-benzyl L-glutamine, and a selective lactam hydrolysis of alpha-benzyl L-pyroglutamate is performed with up to 71% yield.

Keywords