ENANTIOPURE R(-)-3-AMINOISOBUTYRIC ACID SYNTHESIS USING Pseudomonas aeruginosa AS ENANTIOSPECIFIC BIOCATALYST

The main goal of this research was the synthesis of enantiopure R(-)-3-aminoisobutyric acid from dihydrothymine with good yield, high stereospecificity and relative simplicity. Seventy two percent yield of the product was obtained in three steps. Step one consisted of dihydrothymine racemization. Step two was a dihydropyrimidinase reaction involving the Pseudomonas aeruginosa 10145 bacterial strain as the biocatalyst. Step three was performed with a diazotization reaction. The bacteria’s enzymes determined the stereochemistry of the process since the diazotization reaction did not interfere at this point. The results of this work provide an interesting method for the production of commercial β-amino acids from other substituteddihydrothymines.