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Organic Letters· 2026Q1

Biocatalytic Synthesis of Substituted Cinnamaldehydes

Ahmad Salehi, Farah M. Mustafa, Terry Girier Rioual, Jonathan Nakhleh et al.

Short summary

A biocatalytic route using aldolase NahE and benzoylformate decarboxylase synthesizes substituted cinnamaldehydes from benzaldehydes, achieving 77% isolated yield for 4-methoxycinnamaldehyde.

AI-generated from the title and abstract; the full text is not read.

Key points

  • Developed a biocatalytic synthesis for substituted cinnamaldehydes from benzaldehydes.
  • Employed aldolase NahE and benzoylformate decarboxylase in the reaction.
  • Demonstrated the first use of α,β-unsaturated 2-oxo acids as substrates for thiamine diphosphate-dependent 2-oxo acid decarboxylases.
  • Achieved 77% isolated yield for 4-methoxycinnamaldehyde on a preparative scale.
  • Found electron-donating substituents were better tolerated than electron-withdrawing ones.

AI-generated from the title and abstract; the full text is not read.

Abstract

Abstract Substituted cinnamaldehydes are valuable compounds, but current syntheses rely on expensive and toxic reagents. We report a biocatalytic synthesis of substituted cinnamaldehydes from the corresponding benzaldehydes via an aldolase, NahE, and benzoylformate decarboxylase. This is the first use of α,β-unsaturated 2-oxo acids as substrates for thiamine diphosphate-dependent 2-oxo acid decarboxylases. We found electron-donating substituents were better tolerated than electron-withdrawing substituents, but all showed good to excellent conversions. A preparative-scale reaction gave 4-methoxycinnamaldehyde in 77% isolated yield.

The authors' abstract, as published at the source. Organic Letters, 2026 · DOI ↗

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BiochemistryBiochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology