Hydrolysis and Formation of Carboxylic Acid Esters

Paravidino M, Böhm P, Gröger H, Hanefeld U. Hydrolysis and Formation of Carboxylic Acid Esters. In: Drauz K, Gröger H, May O, eds. Enzyme Catalysis in Organic Synthesis. Vol 1. 3rd ed. Weinheim: Wiley-VCH; 2012: 251-362

Microbial-catalysed resolution of sterically demanding cyanohydrins

Mycelia containing carboxyl-esterases, a novel source of enzymes, have been investigated in the hydrolytic kinetic resolution of one type of tert-alcohols, α,α-disubstituted cyanohydrins. This class of enzymes was found to be both active and selective towards these tert-alcohols, giving E-values as high as 42.