Enantioselective oxidation of prochiral 2-methyl-1,3-propandiol by Acetobacter pasteurianus

The microbial oxidation of prochiral 2-methyl-1,3-propandiol into (R)-3-hydroxy-2-methyl propionic acid with Acetobacter pasteurianus DSM 8937 is reported. The biotransformation was optimised furnishing (R)-3-hydroxy-2-methyl propionic acid with 97% enantiomeric excess and 100% molar conversion of 5 g/L within 2 h. A simple fed-batch procedure allowed for the obtainment of 25 g/L of the enantiomerically enriched acid. (R)-3-Hydroxy-2-methyl propionic acid is an important building block for the synthesis of Captopril, a widely used antihypertensive drug.