Towards preparative peroxygenase-catalyzed oxyfunctionalization reactions in organic media

The peroxygenase from Agrocybe aegerita ( Aae UPO) has been evaluated for stereoselective oxyfunctionalization chemistry under non-aqueous reaction conditions. The stereoselective hydroxylation of ethylbenzene to ( R ) -1-phenylethanol was performed in neat substrate as reaction medium together with the immobilized biocatalyst and tert BuOOH as oxidant. Stability and activity issues still have to be addressed. Nevertheless, gram-scale production of enantiopure ( R )-1-phenylethanol was achieved with respectable 90,000 turnovers of the biocatalyst.