Stereospecific Formation of Z-Trisubstituted Double Bonds by the Successive Action of Ketoreductase and Dehydratase Domains from trans-AT Polyketide Synthases.

Incubation of (±)-2-methyl-3-ketobutyryl-SNAC (3) and (±)-2-methyl-3-ketopentanoyl-SNAC (4) with BonKR2 or OxaKR5, ketoreductase domains from the bongkrekic acid (1) and oxazolomycin (2) polyketide synthases, in the presence of NADPH gave in each case the corresponding (2 R,3 S)-2-methyl-3-hydroxybutyryl-SNAC (5) or (2 R,3 S)-2-methyl-3-hydroxypentanoyl-SNAC (6) products, as established by chiral gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis of the derived methyl esters. Identical results were obtained by BonKR2- and OxaKR5-catalyzed reduction of chemoenzymatically prepared (2 R)-2-methyl-3-ketopentanoyl-EryACP6, (2 R)-2-methyl-3-ketobutyryl-BonACP2 (12), and (2 R)-2-methyl-3-ketopentanoyl-BonACP2 (13). The paired dehydratase domains, BonDH2 and OxaDH5, were then shown to catalyze the reversible syn dehydration of (2 R,3 S)-2-methyl-3-hydroxybutyryl-BonACP2 (14) to give the corresponding trisubstituted ( Z)-2-methylbutenoyl-BonACP2 (16).