Enzymatic Resolution of Chiral Phosphinate Esters

The bacterial phosphotriesterase has been shown to catalyze the stereoselective hydrolysis of phosphinate esters. The wild-type enzyme preferentially hydrolyzes the SP-enantiomers of methyl phenyl p-X-phenylphosphinate esters by 3 orders of magnitude. The mutant enzyme, I106T/F132A/H254G/H257W, exhibits the opposite stereoselectivity and hydrolyzes the RP-enantiomer up to 30 times faster than the corresponding SP-enantiomer. The enantiomerically pure phosphinate esters, prepared from the kinetic resolution of racemic mixtures, can serve as the entry point for the chemoenzymatic preparation of P-chiral phosphines and phosphine oxides.