Use of Biocatalysis to Distinguish Between Two Similar Groups

13 February 2004

One often thinks of using biocatalysis to solve problems in chiral synthesis or to perform a kinetic resolution. However biocatalysis can be used to carry out efficiently the transformation below.

DuPont have optimised this process to produce this precision cleaning solvent which sells for only a few dollars/kg (see Hann E C et al, Org Process R&D, 2002, 6, 492). For an excellent new book on Biocatalysis, which includes a comparison of biological and chemical catalysts for some novel processes, see Bommarius A S and Riebel B R, Biocatalysis, Wiley VCH, 2004, ISBN 3-527-30344-8, price £90, €135, 611 pp.