An Enzymatic Toolbox for Cascade Reactions: A Showcase for an In Vivo Redox Sequence in Asymmetric Synthesis

Joined forces: Alcohol dehydrogenase, enoate reductase, and Baeyer–Villiger monooxygenase are combined in a cascade reaction by coexpression in E. coli to have a recombinant whole-cell biocatalyst. Such an artificial metabolic “mini”-pathway provides access to functionalized chiral compounds in high yields and optical purities as exemplified for kinetic resolutions, desymmetrizations, and regiodivergent biotransformations.