Microbial production and metabolism of epoxides.

Epoxides are intermediates in the metabolism of many alkenes and aromatic compounds in higher organisms and in microorganisms. In microbial formation of epoxides, and further metabolism or excretion of these reactive compounds, many different enzymes are involved. Bacteria and fungi sometimes form optically active epoxides or are able to degrade epoxides enantioselectively, allowing the biotechnological production of these chiral building blocks in organic synthesis.