Regioselective hydrolysis of aromatic dinitriles using a whole cell catalyst

A series of aromatic dinitriles have been examined as substrates for an immobilised whole cell Rhodococcus sp. that catalyses the hydrolysis of nitrites to amides and/or carboxylic acids. The fluorinated aromatic dinitriles 48 and 49 were regioselectively hydrolysed to the corresponding cyano amides 48a and 49a whereas the non-fluorinated analogues 41–44 were converted to cyano acids but with poorer regioselectivity.