SELECTIVE DEHYDROGENATION OF ALDONIC AND ALDARIC ACID WITH AN R-CONFIGURATED ALPHA-CARBON ATOM TO 2-OXOCARBOXYLIC ACIDS, AND REDUCTION OF THE OXO GROUP OF N-ACETYLNEURAMINIC ACID WITH PROTEUS-MIRABILIS

An incredibly broad spectrum of substrates and electron acceptors are tolerated by the enzyme (2R)-hydroxycarboxlate-viologen-oxidoreductase (E1). When the reaction is conducted with anthraquinone 2,6-disulfonate (AQDS) as the electron acceptor and dimethyl sulfoxide reductase (E2), (2R)-configurated aldonic aldaric acids are dehydrated with complete selectivity. The reverse reaction, the reduction of 2-oxocarboxylic acids such as N-acetylneuraminic acid is also possible.