One-Pot Cascade Synthesis of (3S)-Hydroxyketones Catalyzed by Transketolase via Hydroxypyruvate Generated in Situ from d-Serine by d-Amino Acid Oxidase

We described an efficient in situ generation of hydroxypyruvate from d-serine catalyzed by a d-amino acid oxidase from Rhodotorula gracilis. This strategy revealed an interesting alternative to the conventional chemical synthesis of hydroxypyruvate starting from toxic bromopyruvate or to the enzymatic transamination from l-serine requiring an additional substrate as amino acceptor. Hydroxypyruvate thus produced was used as donor substrate of transketolases from Escherichia coli or from Geobacillus stearothermophilus catalyzing the stereoselective formation of a carbon-carbon bond. The enzymatic cascade reaction was performed in one-pot in the presence of d-serine and appropriate aldehydes for the synthesis of valuable (3S)-hydroxyketones, which were obtained with high enantio- and diastereoselectivity and in good yield. The efficiency of the process was based on the irreversibility of both reactions allowing complete conversion of d-serine and aldehydes.