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Updated: Feb 19, 2026

Light-driven Enzymatic Decarboxylation
Published on: May 22, 2016
Biocatalytic Oxidative Cascade for the Conversion of Fatty Acids into α-Ketoacids via Internal H2 O2 Recycling
Somayyeh Gandomkar1, Alexander Dennig1, Andela Dordic1,2
1Department of Chemistry, University of Graz, Heinrichstrasse 28, 8010, Graz, Austria.
Abstract:
The functionalization of bio-based chemicals is essential to allow valorization of natural carbon sources. An atom-efficient biocatalytic oxidative cascade was developed for the conversion of saturated fatty acids to α-ketoacids. Employment of P450 monooxygenase in the peroxygenase mode for regioselective α-hydroxylation of fatty acids combined with enantioselective oxidation by α-hydroxyacid oxidase(s) resulted in internal recycling of the oxidant H2 O2 , thus minimizing degradation of ketoacid product and maximizing biocatalyst lifetime. The O2 -dependent cascade relies on catalytic amounts of H2 O2 and releases water as sole by-product. Octanoic acid was converted under mild conditions in aqueous buffer to 2-oxooctanoic acid in a simultaneous one-pot two-step cascade in up to >99 % conversion without accumulation of hydroxyacid intermediate. Scale-up allowed isolation of final product in 91 % yield and the cascade was applied to fatty acids of various chain lengths (C6:0 to C10:0).
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