Biomanufacture of L-homoserine lactone building block: A strategy for preparing γ-substituted L-amino acids by modular reaction.

A strain high-performance of esterase producing bacteria was screened from soil, which could selectively hydrolyze D-homoserine lactone from its racemate to achieve the resolution of L- homoserine lactone with more than 99% e.e. in 48% yield. L-homoserine lactone building block was then converted to L-α-amino-γ-bromobutyronic acid chiral blocks, which reacted with various nucleophilic reagent modules could to be applied to prepare L-γ- substituted α-amino acids such as L-selenomethionine, L-methionine, L-glufosinate and L-selenocystine. Its advantages included high selectivity of biocatalytic resolution reactions, high optical purity of products, racemic recycle of D-substrates and modular reaction, which simplified the production process of these products and highlighted the power of biological manufacturing.