Enantioselective allylic hydroxylation of ω-alkenoic acids and esters by P450 BM3 monooxygenase.

Chiral allylic alcohols of ω-alkenoic acids and derivatives thereof are highly important building blocks for the synthesis of biologically active compounds. The direct enantioselective C-H oxidation of linear terminal olefins offers the shortest route toward these compounds, but known synthetic methods are limited and suffer from low selectivities. Described herein is an enzymatic approach using the P450 BM3 monooxygenase mutant A74G/L188Q, which catalyzes allylic hydroxylation with high to excellent chemo- and enantioselectivities providing the desirable secondary alcohols.