Heterogeneous Chemoenzymatic Catalyst Combinations for One-Pot Dynamic Kinetic Resolution Applications

Heterogeneously catalyzed one-pot reactions combining individual reaction steps into sequences enhance the efficiencies of overall chemical processes by reducing costs, time, and labor efforts. This minireview focuses on the production of chiral compounds by using dynamic kinetic resolution (DKR) and related sequential reactions, utilizing heterogeneous and immobilized metal catalysts and enzymes. Enzymes, especially lipases, often possess high chemical, stereo-, and regiospecificities under mild reaction conditions. Supported transition-metal catalysts are effective and widely used for various chemical transformations including racemization and hydrogenation reactions. This minireview discusses both the early and important applications, as well as modern state-of-the-art processes, in which different catalyst combinations are utilized. Also catalyst compatibility issues, including catalyst inhibition and applicability are addressed with specific focus on the racemization catalysts applied in DKRs. Finally, some examples on the utilization of heterogeneous catalysts in flow reactors are presented.