Impact of Aqueous Micellar Media on Biocatalytic Transformations Involving Transaminase (ATA); Applications to Chemoenzymatic Catalysis

Surfactant-enabled asymmetric ATA-catalyzed reductive aminations in aqueous buffered media are described, representative of the enhanced levels of conversion made possible by the presence of a nonionic surfactant in the water, thereby minimizing enzymatic inhibition and enabling 1-pot chemoenzymatic catalysis. Several applications are described highlighting these modified conditions that involve both biocatalysis and chemocatalysis that are environmentally responsible, indicative of the possibilities using chemistry in water. Also included herein is technology for converting a racemic benzylic alcohol to a nonracemic primary amine, and an especially efficient synthesis of the pharmaceutical (S)-rivastigmine