ENANTIOSELECTIVE REDUCTION OF HETEROCYCLIC PROHIRAL KETONES CATALYZED BY CARROT
This work presents the reduction of ketones considered in the literature as “difficult to reduce” asymmetrically. These ketones are called this way because they contain α and α' groups of the carbonyl group with low structural differences, making it difficult to obtain enantiomerically pure products. In this case, the ketones selected for reduction were: 1-Z-3-pyrrolidinone, dihydro-2-methyl-3 (2H) -furanone, dihydro-3 (2H) -thiophenone, 1-Boc-3-pyrrolidinone and 1 -benzyl-3-pyrrolidinone. Chiral alcohols from these ketones are important because of their use in the synthesis of bioactive compounds. For this purpose, the carrot is a well-known biocatalyst for reduction reactions with prochiral ketones to obtain alcohols with high conversion values and enantiomeric excess. Lipases, in turn, are biocatalysts used in enzymatic resolutions of racemic alcohols because they are selective, affordable and with industrial application. The best methodology between ketone bioreduction against enzymatic kinetic resolution will be evaluated. The results of ketone reductions, with the exception of 1-benzyl-3-pyrrolidinone, using carrot pieces were applicable in reducing ketones considered difficult to reduce. Regarding the enzymatic kinetic resolution of racemic alcohol 1-Boc-3-pyrrolidinol, Amano PS, PS-IM and PCL lipases presented the best results of enantiomeric excesses. However, enzymatic kinetic resolutions are considered better in larger-scale reactions. The reduction of carrot-catalyzed ketones offers high convention values and enantiomeric excess.