Development of biocatalytic multi-step reactions using O2 and CO2 in the air

• Project/Area Number: 16K05864
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Green/Environmental chemistry
• Research Institution: Tokyo Institute of Technology
• Principal Investigator: Matsuda Tomoko 東京工業大学, 生命理工学院, 准教授 (10319494)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 山中 理央 姫路獨協大学, 薬学部, 准教授 (40454764)
• Project Period (FY): 2016-10-21 – 2019-03-31
• Project Status: Completed (Fiscal Year 2019)
• Budget Amount: ¥4,940,000 (Direct Cost: ¥3,800,000、Indirect Cost: ¥1,140,000); Fiscal Year 2018: ¥520,000 (Direct Cost: ¥400,000、Indirect Cost: ¥120,000); Fiscal Year 2017: ¥2,860,000 (Direct Cost: ¥2,200,000、Indirect Cost: ¥660,000); Fiscal Year 2016: ¥1,560,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,200,000、Indirect Cost: ¥360,000)
• Keywords: グリーンケミストリー

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In this research, we developed a method to effectively utilize substances which are safe and exist in large amounts, such as oxygen and carbon dioxide in the air for organic synthesis of necessary for daily life such as materials for pharmaceutical and agricultural chemicals. In particular, we conducted research on redox reactions, which are important among organic synthetic reactions. As a catalyst for promoting the reaction, an enzyme that promotes the reaction in the living body in nature was used. The types of enzymes used were alcohol dehydrogenase, Bayer-Villiger oxidase, and lipase. A multi-step reaction was performed by the reaction using these various kinds of enzymes.

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

有機合成は、医薬品や汎用化学物質の生産などの幅広い分野で必要とされ、社会に貢献するところは非常に大きい。しかし、現状では、有機合成には過酸化水素などの爆発の恐れがある危険な物質を用いる場合もあり、安全な方法の開発が待ち望まれている。また、想定外の事故が発生した場合においても、環境への影響が少ないことも重要である。本研究では、安全な試薬、例えば、触媒としては酵素を、酸化剤としては空気中の酸素などを利用し、さらに、多段階の反応の開発を行ったので、反応後の後処理の無駄が省け、安全な有機合成反応の開発ができた。つまり、グリーンケミストリーの発展に大きく貢献できた。