Scope and synthetic applications of the aryl-alcohol oxidase from Streptomyces hiroshimensis (ShAAO), Ascaso-Alegre, C.; Cinca-Fernando, P.; Roberts, T.; López-Fernández, P.; Herrera, R. P.; Cosgrove, S.; Ferreira, P.; Mangas-Sanchez, J.; Org. Lett. 2025. DOI: 10.1021/acs.orglett.5c03814.

Abstract. The sustainable production of carbonyl compounds is of growing interest due to their broad academic and industrial interest. Herein, we explored the aryl-alcohol oxidase from Streptomyces hiroshimensis (ShAAO), mapping its activity across diverse alcohols, revealing a distinct profile from other natural AAOs. Integrated into tandem organocatalytic processes, ShAAO enabled the synthesis of various chiral compounds, including an intermediate for paroxetine. Gram-scale reactions delivered high yields and turnover numbers exceeding 65000. Immobilization further enhanced stability, highlighting ShAAO as an efficient and industrially relevant biocatalyst.

Congratulations to everyone, especially to Christian!