Method for biocatalytic synthesis of substituted or unsubstituted phenylacetic acids and ketones having enzymes of microbial styrene degradation

A method for the biocatalytic synthesis of substituted or unsubstituted compounds in accordance with formula (I) and/or their bicyclic derivatives in accordance with formula (II),

• by means of the biocatalytic transformation of a substrate with formula (III) and/or formula (IV):
• wherein:
• the substituent R1 is H, OH or a linear or branched C1 to C3 alkyl residue,
• the substituent R2 is H or a linear or branched C1 to C3 alkyl residue, wherein * is a chiral centre,
• the substituents R3, R4, R5, R6 and R7 independently of each other, are H, halogen, OH, Rx, ORx or COORx, wherein Rx is an optionally substituted and/or branched C1 to C10 alkyl residue,
• X is CH2, O, NH, NRx, S or SO2,
• n is the number 0, 1 or 2,
• the method comprising:
• a) providing at least one whole-cell catalyst, comprising:
• i. a gene A which codes for the enzyme styrene monooxygenase and is under the functional control of a regulatable promoter;
• ii. a gene B which codes for the enzyme epoxide isomerase and is under the functional control of a regulatable promoter;
• and/or
• iii. a gene D which codes for the enzyme styrene oxide reductase, in conjunction with a gene E which codes for the enzyme alcohol dehydrogenase, wherein the genes D and E are under the functional control of a regulatable promoter,
• in an aqueous component;
• b) activating the whole-cell catalyst with an inducer and/or an activator, which results in the expression of the genes defined in (a);
• c) contacting the whole-cell catalyst with a substrate with formula (III) and/or (IV), wherein the substrate is reacted with at least one enzyme as defined in (a) to form a reaction product with formula (I) and/or (II);
• and
• d) isolating at least one reaction product with formula (I) and/or (II) which has been produced.