Related Experiment Video
Updated: Oct 5, 2025

Biosynthesis of a Flavonol from a Flavanone by Establishing a One-pot Bienzymatic Cascade
Published on: August 14, 2019
Enzymatic Synthesis of Variediene Analogs
Lin-Fu Liang1, Jeroen S Dickschat1
1Kekulé-Institute for Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Bonn, Gerhard-Domagk-Straße 1, 53121, Bonn, Germany.
Abstract:
Five analogs of dimethylallyl diphosphate (DMAPP) with additional or shifted Me groups were converted with isopentenyl diphosphate (IPP) and the fungal variediene synthase from Aspergillus brasiliensis (AbVS). These enzymatic reactions resulted in the formation of several new terpene analogs that were isolated and structurally characterised by NMR spectroscopy. Several DMAPP analogs showed a changed reactivity giving access to compounds with unusual skeletons. Their formation is mechanistically rationalised and the absolute configurations of all obtained compounds were determined through a stereoselective deuteration strategy, revealing absolute configurations that are analogous to that of the natural enzyme product variediene.
Related Concept Videos
Biosynthesis of Nucleic Acids
Synthesis of α-Substituted Carbonyl Compounds: The Stork Enamine Reaction
Diels–Alder Reaction: Characteristics of Dienes
Characteristics of the diene
Conformation
The simplest example of a diene is 1,3-butadiene, an acyclic conjugated π system. At room temperature, the molecule exists as a mixture of s-cis and s-trans conformers by virtue of rotation around the carbon–carbon single bond. Although the s-trans isomer is...
ATP and Macromolecule Synthesis
Most macromolecules are composed of single subunits, or building blocks, called monomers. The monomers combine with each other using covalent bonds to form larger molecules known as polymers.
Conversion of...
[4+2] Cycloaddition of Conjugated Dienes: Diels–Alder Reaction
Alkylation of β-Diester Enolates: Malonic Ester Synthesis

