Improving lipase enantioselectivity in organic solvents by forming substrate salts with chiral agents

We recently demonstrated (J Am Chem Soc 121:3334-3340, 1999) that enzymatic enantioselectivity in organic solvents can be markedly enhanced by temporarily enlarging the substrate via salt formation. In the present study, this approach was expanded by finding that, in addition to its size, the stereochemistry of the counterion can greatly affect the enantioselectivity enhancement. For example, the enantioselectivity [E = (k(cat)/K(M))(S)/(k(cat)/K(M))(R)] of crystalline Pseudomonas cepacia lipase in the propanolysis of phenylalanine methyl ester (PheOMe) in anhydrous acetonitrile was found to be 5.8 +/- 0.6; the E value doubled when PheOMe's salt with S mandelic acid was used as a substrate instead of the free ester, and rose sevenfold with R mandelic acid as a Bronsted-Lowry acid. Similar effects were observed with other bulky, but not petite, counterions. The greatest enantioselectivity enhancement was afforded by 10-camphorsulfonic acid: the E value increased to 18 +/- 2 for a salt with its R enantiomer and jumped to 53 +/- 4 for the S. These effects, also observed in other organic solvents, were explained by means of structure-based molecular modeling of the lipase-bound transition states of the substrate enantiomers and their diastereomeric salts.     

Implication of substrate-assisted catalysis on improving lipase activity or enantioselectivity in organic solvents

In comparison with the biocatalyst engineering and medium engineering approaches, very few examples have been reported on using the substrate engineering approach such as substrate-assisted catalysis (SAC) for naturally occurring or engineered lipases and serine proteases to improve the enzyme activity and enantioselectivity. By employing lipase-catalyzed hydrolysis of (R,S)-naproxen esters in water-saturated isooctane as the model system, we demonstrate the proton shuttle device to the leaving alcohol of the substrate as a new means of SAC to effectively improve the lipase activity or enantioselectivity. The result cannot only provide a strong evidence for the rate-limiting proton transfer for the bond-breaking of tetrahedron intermediate of the acylation step, but also sheds light for performing the hydrolysis, transesterification or aminolysis in organic solvents for the ester substrate that originally lipases cannot catalyze, but now can after introducing the device.     

Candida rugosa lipase-catalysed kinetic resolution of 2-substituted-aryloxyacetic esters with dimethylsulfoxide and isopropanol as additives

Candida rugosa lipase-catalysed hydrolysis of three different 2-substituted-aryloxyacetic esters was performed in aqueous buffer containing dimethyl sulphoxide and isopropanol from 0 to 80% v/v as additives, in order to obtain an enhancement of the enantioselectivity. For 2-(p-chlorophenoxy)acetic acid and 2-n-butyl-2-(p-chlorophenoxy)acetic acid ethyl esters, DMSO enhanced enzyme enantioselectivity more than IPA with an opposite enzymatic enantiopreference. The cosolvents moderately improved Candida rugosa lipase enantioselectivity for 2-phenyl-2-(p-chlorophenoxy)acetic acid ethyl ester.     

Enantioselectivity of Candida rugosa lipases (Lip1, Lip3, and Lip4) towards 2-bromo phenylacetic acid octyl esters controlled by a single amino acid

Enantiomer discrimination by enzymes is a very accurate mechanism, which often involves few amino acids located at the active site. Lipase isoforms from Candida rugosa are very good enzymatic models to study this phenomenon as they display high sequence homology (>80%) and their enantioselectivity is often pointed out. In the present work, we investigated three lipases from C. rugosa (Lip1, Lip3, and Lip4, respectively) towards the resolution of 2-bromo-arylacetic acid esters, an important class of chemical intermediates in the pharmaceutical industry. All exhibited a high enantioselectivity, with Lip4 preferring the R-enantiomer (E-value = 15), while Lip1 and Lip3 showed an S-enantioselectivity >200. A combination of sequence and structure analysis of the three C. rugosa lipases suggested that position 296 could play a role in S- or R-enantiomer preference of C. rugosa lipases. This led to the construction by site-directed mutagenesis of Lip1 and Lip4 variants in which position 296 was, respectively, exchanged by a Gly, Ala, Leu, or Phe amino acid. Screening of these variants for their enantioselectivity toward 2-bromo phenyl acetic acid octyl esters revealed that steric hindrance of the amino acid residue introduced at position 296 controls both the enantiopreference and the enantioselectivity value of the lipase: bulkier is the amino acid at position 296, larger is the selectivity towards the S-enantiomer. To investigate further these observations at an atomic level, we carried out a preliminary modeling study of the tetrahedral intermediates formed by Lip1 and Lip4 with the (R, S)-2-bromo-phenylacetic acid octyl ester enantiomers that provides some insight regarding the determinants responsible for lipase enantiodiscrimination.     

Size as a parameter for solvent effects on Candida antarctica lipase B enantioselectivity

Changes in solvent type were shown to yield significant improvement of enzyme enantioselectivity. The resolution of 3-methyl-2-butanol catalyzed by Candida antarctica lipase B, CALB, was studied in eight liquid organic solvents and supercritical carbon dioxide, SCCO(2). Studies of the temperature dependence of the enantiomeric ratio allowed determination of the enthalpic (Delta(R-S)Delta H(++)) as well as the entropic (Delta(R-S)Delta S(++)) contribution to the overall enantioselectivity (Delta(R-S)Delta G(++)= -RTlnE). A correlation of the enantiomeric ratio, E, to the van der Waals volume of the solvent molecules was observed and suggested as one of the parameters that govern solvent effects on enzyme catalysis. An enthalpy-entropy compensation relationship was indicated between the studied liquid solvents. The enzymatic mechanism must be of a somewhat different nature in SCCO(2), as this reaction in this medium did not follow the enthalpy-entropy compensation relation.     

Efficient kinetic resolution of (R,S)-1-trimethylsilylethanol via lipase-mediated enantioselective acylation in ionic liquids

Efficient enantioselective acylation of (R,S)-1-trimethylsilylethanol {(R,S)-1-TMSE} with vinyl acetate catalyzed by immobilized lipase from Candida antarctica B (i.e., Novozym 435) was successfully conducted in ionic liquids (ILs). A remarkable enhancement in the initial rate and the enantioselectivity of the acylation was observed by using ILs as the reaction media when compared to the organic solvents tested. Also, the activity, enantioselectivity, and thermostability of Novozym 435 increased with increasing hydrophobicity of ILs. Of the six ILs examined, the IL C4MIm.PF6 gave the fastest initial rate and the highest enantioselectivity, and was consequently chosen as the favorable medium for the reaction. The optimal molar ratio of vinyl acetate to (R,S)-1-TMSE, water activity, and reaction temperature range were 4:1, 0.75, and 40 -50 degrees C, respectively, under which the initial rate and the enantioselectivity (E value) were 27.6 mM/h and 149, respectively. After a reaction time of 6 h, the ee of the remaining (S)-1-TMSE reached 97.1% at the substrate conversion of 50.7%. Additionally, Novozym 435 was effectively recycled and reused in C4MIm.PF6 for five consecutive runs without substantial lose in activity and enantioselectivity. The preparative scale kinetic resolution of (R,S)-1-TMSE in C4MIm.PF6 is shown to be very promising and useful for the industrial production of enantiopure (S)-1-TMSE.     

Hydrolytic resolution of (R,S)-naproxen 2,2,2-trifluoroethyl thioester by Carica papaya lipase in water-saturated organic solvents

For the first time, the Carica papaya lipase (CPL) stored in crude papain is explored as a potential enantioselective biocatalyst for obtaining chiral acids from their racemic thioesters. Hydrolytic resolution of (R,S)-naproxen 2,2,2-trifluoroethyl thioester in water-saturated organic solvents is employed as a model system for studying the effects of temperature and solvents on lipase activity and enantioselectivity. An optimal temperature of 60 degrees C, based on the initial rate of (S)-thioester and a high enantiomeric ratio (i.e., E-value defined as the ratio of initial rates for both substrates) of >100 at 45 degrees C in isooctane, is obtained. Kinetic analysis, considering product inhibition and enzyme deactivation, is also performed, showing agreement between the experimental and best-fit conversions for (S)-thioester. A comparison of the kinetic and thermodynamic behaviors of CPL and Candida rugosa lipase (CRL) in isooctane and cyclohexane indicates that both lipases are very similar in terms of thermodynamic parameters DeltaDeltaH and DeltaDeltaS, initial rate of (S)-substrate, and E-value when (R,S)-naproxen 2,2,2-trifluoroethyl thioester or ester is employed as substrate.     

Improvement of catalytic activity of Candida rugosa lipase in the presence of calix[4]arene bearing iminodicarboxylic/phosphonic acid complexes modified iron oxide nanoparticles

In the present study, iron oxide magnetite nanoparticles, prepared through a co-precipitation method, were coated with phosphonic acid or iminodicarboxylic acid derivatives of calix[4]arene to modulate their surfaces with different acidic groups. Candida rugosa lipase was then directly immobilized onto the modified nanoparticles through sol–gel encapsulation. The catalytic activities and enantioselectivities of the two encapsulated lipases in the hydrolysis reaction of (R/S)-naproxen methyl ester and (R/S)-2-phenoxypropionic acid methyl ester were assessed. The results showed that the activity and enantioselectivity of the lipase were improved when the lipase was encapsulated in the presence of calixarene-based additives; the encapsulated lipase with the phosphonic acid derivative of calix[4]arene had an excellent rate of enantioselectivity against the (R/S)-naproxen methyl and (R/S)-2-phenoxypropionic acid methyl esters, with E = 350 and 246, respectively, compared to the free enzyme. The encapsulated lipases (Fe-Calix-N(COOH)) and (Fe-Calix–P) showed good loading ability and little loss of enzyme activity, and the stability of the catalyst was very good; they only lost 6–11% of the enzyme’s activity after five batches.     

Enzymatic and chromatographic chiral discrimination of racemic (thio)glycidyl esters: Part I. A chemoenzymatic approach to both enantiomers of thioglycidyl esters

Both hitherto unknown (+)-(R)- and (?)-(S)-thioglycidyl esters, (R)-( 2 ) and (S)-( 2 ), have been synthesized with different high enantiomeric excesses (ee) by two routes from the corresponding rac-glycidyl esters rac-( 1 ). The first includes a porcine pancreatic lipase (PPL)-mediated kinetic resolution of these esters followed by sulfuration with practically complete inversion to the (+)-(R)-enantiomer (+)-(R)-( 2 ) (36–86% ee). (?)-(S)-Thioglycidyl esters (?)-(S)-( 2 ) are obtained by the reverse reaction sequence (43–80% ee). In the latter case the hydrolysis rate is lower than that of analogous glycidyl esters. Moreover, the dependence of enantiomeric excess on the size of the acyl-group is of the opposite tendency. Therefore, in both cases suitable selection of the acid residue gives rise to maximum enantioselectivity. The irreversible lipase-catalyzed acylation of rac-glycidol and rac-thioglycidol, however, was found to be a less suitable alternative. The enantiomeric excess of recovered homochiral esters was determined by chiral chromatography using modified cellulose stationary phases (OB, OD). © 1993 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

复合诱变选育高产脂肪酶黑曲霉菌株及其固定化酶性质

通过硫酸二乙酯(DES)和微波复合诱变,获得遗传性状稳定的高产脂肪酶黑曲霉突变菌株CM2,酶活达174.93 U/mL.对菌株CM2培养条件的优化,以橄榄油和(NH_4)_2SO_4为最佳碳、氮源,在28℃、pH 7.5的条件下,发酵CM2菌株68 h,脂肪酶活为180.52 U/mL.大孔树脂固定化脂肪酶在35～55℃和pH 7.5～9.5之间有很好的稳定性.游离酶和固定化酶的表观失活活化能分别为52.6842 kJ/mol和30.8391 kJ/mol,固定化酶对温度的敏感度降低,耐受性增强.在微水相中脂肪酶催化2-辛醇和乙酸乙烯酯不对称酯交换反应中,(S)-乙酸辛酯的对映选择性高(游离酶e.e.s 85.7%;固定化酶e.e.s 87.7%),显示了该固定化酶在2-辛醇的手性拆分方面具有良好的应用前景.     

Production, properties and application to nonaqueous enzymatic catalysis of lipase from a newly isolated Pseudomonas strain

A potent bacterium for lipase production was isolated from soil and identified as Pseudomonas species. It produced lipase constitutively. A mutant of this strain with a lipase productivity 3.25-fold higher was obtained by treatment with ultraviolet (UV) and nitrosoguanidine (NTG). Its fermentation condition was optimized to a lipase yield of 87.5 U/ml. The lipase had maximum activity at pH 9.0 and 45 degrees C. It was stable at pHs from 7.0 to 11.0 and below 60 degrees C. The effects of metal ions, surfactants and bile salts were also studied. The lipase was 1,3-specific. In organic solvents, the thermal stability of the lipase was significantly enhanced. Its optimum temperature was also slightly increased. The optimum water activity was found between 0.5 and 0.6. The lipase was successfully applied in organic phase to catalyze the glycerolysis of palm oil for monoglyceride (MG) production, and the enantioselective esterification of (R,S)-2-octanol. The enantioselectivity of the lipase could be enhanced substantially by treatment with an amphipathic.     

The influence of the mode of enzyme preparation on enzymatic enantioselectivity in organic solvents and its temperature dependence

The enantioselectivities of subtilisin Carlsberg and Rhizomucor miehei lipase in organic solvents are found to strongly depend on the method by which the enzymes are prepared. For the transesterification between sec-phenethyl alcohol and vinyl butyrate in dioxane at 7 degrees C, the enantioselectivity of subtilisin precipitated with isopropanol is more than twice that of the enzyme prepared by lyophilization from aqueous buffer. Furthermore, the temperature dependence of the enantioselectivity is influenced by the mode of enzyme preparation. For example, in the aforementioned process the enantioselectivities of subtilisin lyophilized from aqueous buffer and crosslinked subtilisin crystals increase when the temperature is raised from 7 to 45 degrees C. In contrast, the enantioselectivities decrease with temperature for the enzyme precipitated from aqueous solution with acetone or isopropanol and for the enzymatic hydrolysis in water. The temperature dependence of the enantioselectivity of subtilisin lyophilized from buffer is markedly affected by the solvent: In acetonitrile and nitromethane the enzyme is more enantioselective at higher temperatures, while negligible temperature effects have been found in tetrahydrofuran and pyridine. Lyophilized lipase exhibits striking temperature dependencies of its enantioselectivity in dioxane, acetonitrile, and nitromethane, while showing almost none in pyridine, triethylamine, and tetrahydrofuran. The results underscore the importance of the mode of enzyme recovery on enantioselectivity and its temperature dependence in enzymatic reactions in organic solvents (in contrast to those in water). (c) 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

A straightforward stereoselective synthesis of meso-, (S,S)- and (R,R)-2,6-diaminopimelic acids from cis-1,4-diacetoxycyclohept-2-ene

A straightforward synthesis of meso-2,6-diaminopimelic acid (DAP) meso-1 was developed from 1,4-diacetoxycyclohept-2-ene (2) via an oxidative ring cleavage. Subsequently, an enantio-divergent synthesis of (S,S)- and (R,R)-1 was performed using a homochiral monoacetate 7 available from 2 by enzymatic desymmetrization.     

Partially purified Carica papaya lipase: a versatile biocatalyst for the hydrolytic resolution of (R,S)-2-arylpropionic thioesters in water-saturated organic solvents

With the hydrolytic resolution of (R,S)-naproxen 2,2,2-trifluoroethyl thioesters in water-saturated isooctane as a model system, improvements of the specific lipase activity and thermal stability were found when a crude Carica papaya lipase (CPL) was partially purified and employed as the biocatalyst. The partially purified Carica papaya lipase (PCPL) was furthermore explored as an effective enantioselective biocatalyst for the hydrolytic resolution of (R,S)-profen thioesters in water-saturated organic solvents. The kinetic analysis in water-saturated isooctane indicated that both acyl donor and acyl acceptor have profound influences on the lipase activity, E-value, and enantioselectivity. Inversion of the enantioselectivity from (S)- to (R)-thioester was found for (R,S)-fenoprofen and (R,S)-ketoprofen thioesters that contained a bulky substituent at the meta-position of 2-phenyl moiety of the acyl part. Kinetic constants for the acylation step were furthermore estimated for elucidating the kinetic data and postulating an active site model. The thermodynamic analysis indicated that the enantiomer discrimination was driven by the difference of activation enthalpy (DeltaDeltaH) and that of activation entropy (DeltaDeltaS), yet the latter was dominated for most of the reacting systems. The postulated active site model was supported from the variation of DeltaDeltaH and DeltaDeltaS with the acyl moiety, in which a good linear enthalpy-entropy compensation relationship was also illustrated. A comparison of the performances between Candida rugosa lipase (CRL) and PCPL indicated that PCPL was superior to CRL in terms of the better thermal stability, similar or better lipase activity for the fast-reacting substrate, time-course-stability, and lower enzyme cost.     

Lipase-Catalyzed Resolution of Isopropylidene Glycerol: Effect of Co-Solvents on Enantioselectivity

The resolution of 1,2-O-isopropylidene glycerol via enzyme catalyzed hydrolysis of the corresponding benzoic ester was investigated. Using lipase PS from Pseudomonas cepacia, we determined the influence of organic co-solvents on the activity and enantioselectivity of the enzyme. The performance of the lipase was correlated to the nature (logP, ε,μ and the percentage of the organic media. The highest enzymatic activity was found in solvents completely miscible or completely immiscible in water. The enzyme stereoselectivity was inversely related to the logP of the solvent.     

Lipase-Catalyzed Resolution of Isopropylidene Glycerol: Effect of Co-Solvents on Enantioselectivity

The resolution of 1,2-O-isopropylidene glycerol via enzyme catalyzed hydrolysis of the corresponding benzoic ester was investigated. Using lipase PS from Pseudomonas cepacia, we determined the influence of organic co-solvents on the activity and enantioselectivity of the enzyme. The performance of the lipase was correlated to the nature (logP, ?,μ and the percentage of the organic media. The highest enzymatic activity was found in solvents completely miscible or completely immiscible in water. The enzyme stereoselectivity was inversely related to the logP of the solvent.     

Lipase‐catalyzed enantioselective transesterification of prochiral 1‐((1,3‐dihydroxypropan‐2‐yloxy)methyl)‐5,6,7,8‐tetrahydroquinazoline‐2,4(1H,3H)‐dione in ionic liquids

The application of ionic liquids as solvents for transesterification of prochiral pirymidine acyclonucleoside using lipase (EC 3.1.1.3) Amano PS from Burkholderia cepacia (BCL) is reported. The effect of using medium reaction, acyl group donor, and temperature on the activity and enantioselectivity of BCL was studied. From the investigated ionic solvents, the hydrophobic ionic liquid [BMIM]PF₆] was the preferred medium for enzymatic reactions. However, the best result was obtained in the mixture [BMIM][PF₆]:TBME (1:1 v/v) at 50°C. Enzyme activity and selectivity in [BMIM][PF₆]:TBME (1:1 v/v) was slightly higher in than in conventional organic solvents (for example, TBME), and in this condition, good activity and enantioselectivity were associated with unique properties of ionic liquid such as hydrophobicity and high polarity. Independently of solvents, monester of (R)‐configuration was obtained in excess. Under optimal conditions, desymmetrization of the prochiral compound using different acyl donors was performed. If vinyl butyrate was used as the acylating agent, BCL completely selectively acylated enantiotopic hydroxyl groups.     

Enhanced Resolution of a Secondary Alcohol by Hydrolysis of a Bichiral Ester Catalyzed by Lipase from Candida cylindracea

The effect of a chiral centre in the acyl group on the resolution of esters prepared from a racemic alcohol was investigated. R-2-chloropropionic acid afforded a higher enantiomeric ratio than S-2-chioropropionic acid in the hydrolysis of the corresponding esters of racemic 1-phenylethanol catalyzed by Candida cylindracea lipase. Even when a mixture of esters prepared from racemic acid and racemic alcohol was used for resolution of the alcohol, a noteworthy high enantioselectivity was observed. The hydrolysis of a bichiral ester offers an amplification in the resolution of enantiomers of alcohols by the combination of a chemical diastereoselectivity and an enzymatic enantio- and diastereoselectivity.     

Stereoselective enzymatic hydrolysis of 2-cyclohexyl-and 2-phenyl-1,3-propanediol diacetate in biphasic systems

Summary A key intermediate (S(–) 2-cyclohexyl-1,3-propanediol monoacetate) was made with high optical purity for the total synthesis of a new angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor, Fosinopril. The stereoselective hydrolysis of 2-cyclohexyl-1,3-propanediol diacetate (I) and 2-phenyl-1,3-propanediol diacetate (II) was carried out with lipases. Among various lipases evaluated, only porcine pancreatic lipase (PPL) and Chromobacterium viscosum lipase demonstrated efficient conversion and gave the desired enantiomer of monoacetate. In aqueous solution, the desired S(–) monoacetate exhibited an optical purity of 65%–80% (30%–60% enantiomeric excess [e.e.]). However, when the same reactions were conducted in a biphasic system, the product S(–) monoacetate exhibited an optical purity of 99%–100% (98%–100% e.e.). The high purity product was achieved with 65 mol% yield at 1% substrate concentration. Among various solvents evaluated in biphasic systems, efficient hydrolysis was achieved in toluene, cyclohexane, and trichloro-trifluoroethane. The crude PPL was partially purified and two lipase fractions (A and B) were identified. Lipases A and B had a molecular mass of 38 000 and 40 000 daltons, respectively, and both were found to catalyze the hydrolysis of I and II to the appropriate monoacetate in a biphasic system. Offprint requests to: R. N. Patel