Chemo-enzymatic synthesis of valrubicin using Pluronic conjugated lipase with temperature responsiveness in organic media

A novel synthetic route for valrubicin, an anti-cancer drug, was proposed using a temperature-responsive lipase–Pluronic conjugate which gave an overall yield of 82% and a purity of 98% under mild conditions (50 °C, 6–8 h). The high activity, stability, selectivity and reusability of this new lipase catalyst hold great promise for practical applications.