Enzymatic Kinetic Resolution by Addition of Oxygen

Kinetic resolution using biocatalysis has proven to be an excellent complementary technique to traditional asymmetric catalysis for the production of enantioenriched compounds. Resolution using oxidative enzymes produces valuable oxygenated structures for use in synthetic route development. This Minireview focuses on enzymes which catalyse the insertion of an oxygen atom into the substrate and, in so doing, can achieve oxidative kinetic resolution. The Baeyer-Villiger rearrangement, epoxidation, and hydroxylation are included, and biological advancements in enzyme development, and applications of these key enantioenriched intermediates in natural product synthesis are discussed.