Regio- and stereoselective hydroxylation of 10-undecenoic acid with a light-driven P450 BM3 biocatalyst yielding a valuable synthon for natural product synthesis.

We report herein the selective hydroxylation of 10-undecenoic acid with a light-activated hybrid P450 BM3 enzyme. Under previously developed photocatalytic reaction conditions, only a monohydroxylated product is detected by gas chromatography. Hydroxylation occurs exclusively at the allylic position as confirmed from a synthesized authentic standard.