Challenges and good practices on transaminase-catalysed synthesis of optically pure amines

Transaminase-catalysed synthesis of chiral amines has been highlighted as an important strategy to get access to optically pure primary amines with high selectivity. However, their application is still hindered from several factors. The co-factor instability leads to instability of the protein itself, while the thermodynamics typically do not favor the desired amination reaction. Thus, several strategies have been suggested to tackle the thermodynamic issue, while parameters that initially may seem trivial, such as selection of buffer salt, pH and temperature, recently were studied more thoroughly. In this chapter we provide a review on the suggested strategies with specific commentaries on their application, as well as protocol for the synthesis of optically pure amines with the two most commonly used amine donors, namely alanine and isopropylamine.