Enhanced production of R-phenylacetylcarbinol (R-PAC) through enzymatic biotransformation

Enzymatic biotransformations offer the potential for improved concentrations, yields and productivities in the production of chiral precursors for the pharmaceutical industry. The present review describes new developments for the production of R-phenylacetylcarbinol (R-PAC) from substrates pyruvate and benzaldehyde using an enzymatic process, and compares the results with those for traditional fermentative yeast biotransformations. With batch processes, using pyruvate decarboxylase (PDC) from yeast and filamentous fungi, 50 g/l R-PAC was achieved in benzaldehyde emulsions, while concentrations in excess of 100 g/l were determined in the organic phase for a two-phase octanol/aqueous process. Higher yields and productivities were found also for the enzymatic biotransformations.