Enzymatic Photodecarboxylation on Secondary and Tertiary Carboxylic Acids.

Photoenzymatic decarboxylation of bulky secondary and tertiary carboxylic acids catalyzed by engineered Chlorella variabilis fatty acid photodecarboxylase ( Cv FAP) is reported. Rational design and directed evolution of wild-type Cv FAP are used to improve the reactivity and expand potential applications. Moreover, engineered Cv FAP can catalyze light-driven kinetic resolution of α-substituted carboxylic acid. Our work sheds light on the production of chiral building blocks and bioactive molecules from bulky carboxylic acids via the photoenzymatic way.