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Synfacts 2007(8): 0865-0865  
DOI: 10.1055/s-2007-968761
Organo- and Biocatalysis
© Georg Thieme Verlag Stuttgart · New York

Enzymatic Asymmetric Isomerization of α- to β-Amino Acids

Contributor(s): Benjamin List, Daniela Kampen
K. L. Klettke, S. Sanyal, W. Mutatu, K. D. Walker*
Michigan State University, East Lansing, USA
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Publication History

Publication Date:
24 July 2007 (online)

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Significance

A biocatalytic asymmetric approach to β-amino acids from the corresponding enantioenriched α-amino acids is reported. Native phenylalanine aminomutase (PAM) from Taxus mediates the stereospecific isomerization of (S)-α-arylalanines 1 to (R)-β-arylalanines 2 in varying catalytic efficiencies (six orders of magnitude), depending on the respective substrate. Various aromatic as well as heteroaromatic groups are tolerated.