Biocatalytic hydroxylation of n-butane with in situ cofactor regeneration at low temperature and under normal pressure

Staudt S, Mueller CA, Marienhagen J, et al. Biocatalytic hydroxylation of n-butane with in situ cofactor regeneration at low temperature and under normal pressure. Beilstein Journal of Organic Chemistry. 2012;8:186-191.The hydroxylation of n-alkanes, which proceeds in the presence of a P450-monooxygenase advantageously at temperatures significantly below room temperature, is described. In addition, an enzymatic hydroxylation of the "liquid gas" n-butane with in situ cofactor regeneration, which does not require high-pressure conditions, was developed. The resulting 2-butanol was obtained as the only regioisomer, at a product concentration of 0.16 g/L