Enzyme-assisted introduction and cleavage of protecting groups in nucleoside chemistry

Synthetic transformations of natural nucleosides and carbocyclic or acyclic analogues require careful choice of methods for introduction/removal of suitable protecting groups. Problems related to chemo-, regio- and stereoselectivity of such transformations, a particularly relevant aspect in nucleoside chemistry, can be adequately solved using a biocatalytic approach. This chapter will illustrate the state of the art in the enzyme-assisted protection/deprotection procedures either in a hydrolytic mode or taking advantage of reactions that can be carried out in organic solvents by suitable lipases.