The use of biocatalysis for industrial synthetic chemistry is on the verge of significant growth. Biocatalytic processes can now be carried out in organic solvents as well as aqueous environments, so that apolar organic compounds as well as water-soluble compounds can be modified selectively and efficiently with enzymes and biocatalytically active cells. As the use of biocatalysis for industrial chemical synthesis becomes easier, several chemical companies have begun to increase significantly the number and sophistication of the biocatalytic processes used in their synthesis operations.

Enantiomerically pure amino acids, amino alcohols, amines, alcohols, and epoxides play an increasingly important role as intermediates in the pharmaceutical industry and agrochemistry, where both a high degree of purity and large quantities of the compounds are required. The chemical industry has primarily relied upon established chemical methods for the synthesis of these intermediates, but is now turning more and more to enzymatic and biotechnological fermentation processes. For the industrial implementation of many transformations alternative methods are available. The advantages of the individual methods will be discussed herein and exemplified by syntheses of relevant compounds.

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Three cloned enoate reductases from the "old yellow enzyme" family of flavoproteins were investigated in the asymmetric bioreduction of activated alkenes. 12-Oxophytodienoate reductase isoenzymes OPR1 and OPR3 from Lycopersicon esculentum (tomato), and YqjM from Bacillus subtilis displayed a remarkably broad substrate spectrum by reducing a,b-unsaturated aldehydes, ketones, maleimides and nitroalkenes. The reaction proceeded with absolute chemoselectivity -only the conjugated C=C bond was reduced, while isolated olefins and carbonyl groups remained intact -with excellent stereoselectivities (ees up to > 99%). Upon reduction of a nitroalkene, the stereochemical outcome could be determined via choice of the appropriate enzyme (OPR1 versus OPR3 or YqjM), which furnished the corresponding enantiomeric nitroalkanes in excellent ee. Molecular modelling suggests that this "enzymebased stereocontrol" is caused by subtle differences within the active site geometries.

The use of enzymes as catalysts for the preparation of novel compounds has received steadily increasing attention over the past few years. High demands are placed on the identification of new biocatalysts for organic synthesis. The catalysis of more ambitious reactions reflects the high expectations of this field of research. Enzymes play an increasingly important role as biocatalysts in the synthesis of key intermediates for the pharmaceutical and chemical industry, and new enzymatic technologies and processes have been established. Enzymes are an important part of the spectrum of catalysts available for synthetic chemistry. The advantages and applications of the most recent and attractive biocatalysts--reductases, transaminases, ammonia lyases, epoxide hydrolases, and dehalogenases--will be discussed herein and exemplified by the syntheses of interesting compounds.