Today, a scientific article entitled “Fully Biocatalytic Rearrangement of Furans to Spirolactones” was published in the chemical scientific journal ACS Catalysis. This article is the result of a collaboration between AHI and DeskaLab of the University of Helsinki. It represents a significant advance in the field of organic synthesis.
The research focuses on the conversion of furans to spirolactones. Furans are organic compounds found in natural products and have many applications in organic chemistry. They consist of a five-membered ring with four carbon atoms and one oxygen atom. Spirolactones, on the other hand, are a special class of functional groups in organic chemistry. They are characterized by a ring-shaped ester that is spiro-linked to another ring system, which means that the rings have only one atom in common. These compounds are of particular interest in medicinal chemistry.
The special feature of this research work lies in the application of a completely biocatalytic approach to the conversion of furans into spirolactones. This means that biological catalysts, especially enzymes, are used without the need for additional chemical reagents or catalysts. This method has the potential to make the production of active pharmaceutical ingredients and biologically active molecules more environmentally friendly and efficient. Close collaboration with the AHI Department of Theory & Praxis played a critical role in elucidating the reaction mechanisms through computational chemistry calculations.
The potential impact of this work is significant. The fully biocatalytic rearrangement of furans to spirolactones opens new avenues for the production of drugs and biologically active molecules in a more environmentally friendly and efficient manner. This could mark a turning point in organic synthesis and help promote more sustainable chemical processes.
The article can be accessed at the following DOI link: https://doi.org/10.1021/acscatal.3c00132