Asymmetric β‐Methylation of <scp>l</scp>‐ and <scp>d</scp>‐α‐Amino Acids by a Self‐Contained Enzyme Cascade

Abstract

This report describes a modular enzyme-catalyzed cascade reaction that transforms l- or d-α-amino acids to β-methyl-α-amino acids. In this process an α-amino acid transaminase, an α-keto acid methyltransferase, and a halide methyltransferase cooperate in two orthogonal reaction cycles that mediate product formation and regeneration of the cofactor pyridoxal-5'-phosphate and the co-substrate S-adenosylmethionine. The only stoichiometric reagents consumed in this process are the unprotected l- or d-α-amino acid and methyl iodide.

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