Biocatalytic Cleavage of Alkenes with O 2 and Trametes hirsuta G FCC 047

Alkenes possessing a C=C double bond adjacent to an aromatic ring were cleaved to yield the corresponding carbonyl compounds by use of molecular oxygen as the sole oxidant and a cell‐free extract of the wood‐degrading fungus Trametes hirsuta FCC 047 as catalyst. The oxygen pressure required was optimized. Special adapted equipment allowed 96 reactions to be performed in parallel under controlled oxygen pressure. A broad spectrum of aryl‐alkenes was successfully converted into the corresponding ketones/aldehydes with excellent chemoselectivity under a controlled oxygen atmosphere (2 bar).(© Wiley‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2008)