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Updated: Feb 5, 2026

Preparation of Contiguous Bisaziridines for Regioselective Ring-Opening Reactions
Published on: July 28, 2022
Enantio- and regioselective ene-reductions using F420H2-dependent enzymes
Sam Mathew1, Milos Trajkovic, Hemant Kumar
1Molecular Enzymology Group, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 4, 9747 AG Groningen, The Netherlands. m.w.fraaije@rug.nl.
Abstract:
In the past decade it has become clear that many microbes harbor enzymes that employ an unusual flavin cofactor, the F420 deazaflavin cofactor. Herein we show that F420-dependent reductases (FDRs) can successfully perform enantio-, regio- and chemoselective ene-reductions. For the first time, we have demonstrated that F420H2-driven reductases can be used as biocatalysts for the reduction of α,β-unsaturated ketones and aldehydes with good conversions (>99%) and excellent regioselectivities and enantiomeric excesses (>99% ee). Noteworthily, FDRs typically display an opposite enantioselectivity when compared to the well established FMN-dependent Old Yellow Enzymes (OYEs).
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