Whole Cells as Biocatalysts in Organic Transformations
Fabián Garzón-Posse,
Liliana Becerra-Figueroa,
José Hernández-Arias,
Diego Gamba-Sánchez
Affiliations
Fabián Garzón-Posse
Laboratory of Organic Synthesis Bio- and Organocatalysis, Chemistry Department, Universidad de los Andes, Cra. 1No 18A-12 Q:305, Bogotá 111711, Colombia
Liliana Becerra-Figueroa
Laboratory of Organic Synthesis Bio- and Organocatalysis, Chemistry Department, Universidad de los Andes, Cra. 1No 18A-12 Q:305, Bogotá 111711, Colombia
José Hernández-Arias
Laboratory of Organic Synthesis Bio- and Organocatalysis, Chemistry Department, Universidad de los Andes, Cra. 1No 18A-12 Q:305, Bogotá 111711, Colombia
Diego Gamba-Sánchez
Laboratory of Organic Synthesis Bio- and Organocatalysis, Chemistry Department, Universidad de los Andes, Cra. 1No 18A-12 Q:305, Bogotá 111711, Colombia
Currently, the power and usefulness of biocatalysis in organic synthesis is undeniable, mainly due to the very high enantiomeric excess reached using enzymes, in an attempt to emulate natural processes. However, the use of isolated enzymes has some significant drawbacks, the most important of which is cost. The use of whole cells has emerged as a useful strategy with several advantages over isolated enzymes; for this reason, modern research in this field is increasing, and various reports have been published recently. This review surveys the most recent developments in the enantioselective reduction of carbon-carbon double bonds and prochiral ketones and the oxidation of prochiral sulfides using whole cells as biocatalytic systems.
