Science of Synthesis

Servi, S.; Tessaro, D.; Hollmann, F., Science of Synthesis: Biocatalysis in Organic Synthesis, (2015) 1, 30.

C—C bond forming reactions are a primary goal in synthetic organic chemistry. Many classes of natural enzymatic activity catalyze the formation of new C—C bonds, forming new stereogenic centers. The reaction catalyzed by pyruvate decarboxylase in bakerʼs yeast is mentioned in Section ‌1.1.1.3.1.3‌, as is the contribution of a sterol cyclase that is responsible for the cyclization of a polyene to a sterol as single enantiomer. Due to their synthetic significance, hydroxy nitriles and polyhydroxy compounds are of wide interest. They are available through the catalytic action of hydroxynitrile lyases and of aldolases.