Chemo-enzymatic three-step conversion of glucose to kojic acid.

Kojic acid is an important biomolecule, currently produced by fermentation and having a wide range of potential applications. A faster and more direct chemical route could open the door for its large-scale production and wider utilization in biorefineries. Here we describe an efficient method for the preparation of kojic acid from d-glucose via glucosone by a three-step chemo-enzymatic route.