Kinetic Resolution of Nearly Symmetric 3-Cyclohexene-1-carboxylate Esters Using a Bacterial Carboxylesterase Identified by Genome Mining

A new bacterial carboxylesterase (CarEst3) was identified by genome mining and found to efficiently hydrolyze racemic methyl 3-cyclohexene-1-carboxylate (rac-CHCM) with a nearly symmetric structure for the synthesis of (S)-CHCM. CarEst3 displayed a high substrate tolerance and a stable catalytic performance. The enantioselective hydrolysis of 4.0 M (560 g·L–1) rac-CHCM was accomplished, yielding (S)-CHCM with a >99% ee, a substrate to catalyst ratio of 1400 g·g–1, and a space-time yield of 538 g·L–1·d–1.