Regiodivergent and stereoselective hydroxyazidation of alkenes by biocatalytic cascades

Asymmetric functionalization of alkenes allows the direct synthesis of a wide range of chiral compounds. Vicinal hydroxyazidation of alkenes provides a desirable path to 1,2-azidoalcohols; however, existing methods are limited by the control of stereoselectivity and regioselectivity. Herein, we describe a dual-enzyme cascade strategy for regiodivergent and stereoselective hydroxyazidation of alkenes, affording various enantiomerically pure 1,2-azidoalcohols. The biocatalytic cascade process is designed by combining styrene monooxygenase-catalyzed asymmetric epoxidation of alkenes and halohydrin dehalogenase-catalyzed regioselective ring opening of epoxides with azide. Additionally, a one-pot chemo-enzymatic route to chiral β-hydroxytriazoles from alkenes is developed via combining the biocatalytic cascades and Cu-catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloaddition. [Display omitted] •A dual-enzyme cascade is developed for asymmetric hydroxyazidation of alkenes•Regiodivergent and stereoselective hydroxyazidation of alkenes is achieved•Various enantiomerically pure 1,2-azidoalcohols are synthesized from alkenes•Chiral β-hydroxytriazoles are prepared from alkenes by a chemo-enzymatic approach Biosynthesis; Biocatalysis ; Bioengineering