Selective P450BM3 hydroxylation of the spiro[3.3]heptane core as a route to potential drug fragment molecules

Xinxin Z, Zhang X, Wong L, Robertson J
Engineered P450BM3 enzyme variants, developed from an initial screening panel of 42 enzymes, convert N-benzyl spiro[3.3]heptane-2-carboxamide into three distally monohydroxylated regioisomers with essentially complete enantioselectivity. Two a-hydroxyamide derivatives are also produced. Elaboration of the metabolites by tethered C–H amination leadsto spiro[3.3]heptane motifs substituted with three different functional groups ready for further derivatization.