Status check: Chemocatalysis & Biocatalysis = Chemoenzymatic Catalysis. Let’s Just Call it “Catalysis”…from the eyes of the fine chemical industry

Where is organic synthesis today? On the one hand, we have reagent-based chemistry, and in particular, chemocatalysis, done in organic solvents, capable of making virtually any target molecule. Then, there is the environmentally more attractive world of biocatalysis, where enzymes, in large measure used in water,1 whether natural or “new-to-nature” complement,2 or in an increasing number of cases even replace traditional reagents. But isn’t the ideal process one that at least has the option to use both, and even better, to merge these two areas, that today is referred to as chemoenzymatic catalysis? The state-of-affairs on this very topic is the subject of our review that recently appeared, with both approaches “meeting” in water.3 But what’s the reality here? Are industrial labs moving in this direction, embracing the obvious advantages from both the economic and sustainability perspectives? What obstacles are they facing, and how can all parties on both sides of the aisle (i.e., academic and industrial labs) gain a slice of this all-encompassing and growing chemoenzymatic catalysis “pie”, which as a topic, in time might rightly be shortened to just “catalysis”