Enantiocomplementary Epoxidation Reactions Catalyzed by an Engineered Cofactor-Independent Non-natural Peroxygenase.

Peroxygenases are heme-dependent enzymes that use peroxide-borne oxygen to catalyze a wide range of oxyfunctionalization reactions. Herein, we report the engineering of an unusual cofactor-independent peroxygenase based on a promiscuous tautomerase that accepts different hydroperoxides (t-BuOOH and H O ) to accomplish enantiocomplementary epoxidations of various α,β-unsaturated aldehydes (citral and substituted cinnamaldehydes), providing access to both enantiomers of the corresponding α,β-epoxy-aldehydes. High conversions (up to 98 %), high enantioselectivity (up to 98 % ee), and good product yields (50-80 %) were achieved.