Aromatic compounds containing Selenium and Tellurium: application of biocatalysis for preparation of enatiomerically enriched aromatic selenides and tellurides

Author(s)

Alvaro Takeo Omori

• Document type: Doctoral Thesis
• Press: São Paulo.
• Institution: Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Conjunto das Químicas (IQ e FCF) (CQ/DBDCQ)
• Defense date: 2005-06-16

Examining board members

João Valdir Comasseto; Vicente de Paulo Emerenciano; Daisy de Brito Rezende; José Augusto Rosário Rodrigues; Gilson Rogério Zeni

• Advisor: Joao Valdir Comasseto

Abstract

The first part of this thesis shows the preparation of organic compounds containing selenium or tellurium. For this purpose, four methodologies were applied: ortho-metallation of 1-phenylethanol, metal-halogen exchange involving aromatic halides, electrophilic aromatic substitution using tellurium tetrachloride and reactions with aryldiazonium salts and diselenides or ditellurides. Next, the aryl tellurides were applied in Palladium catalyzed coupling reactions with terminal alkynes, tellurium-lithium exchange reactions and oxidation of Te(II) to Te(IV). The second part of this thesis consists in the inverstigation of biocatalyzed reactions. Biotransformations of substrates without Se or Te atoms were initially investigated. Carbonyl reduction reactions and deracemization of secondary alcohols were observed by means of whole fungal cells and plants. Meta and para organoseleno acetophenones were then reduced with baker´s yeast, whole fungal cells and Daucus carota, yielding the corresponding organoseleno phenylethanols optically pure with enantiomeric excess up to >99%. Ortho organoseleno e methylthio phenylethanols were resolved in both enantiomeric forms by reacting them with immobilized lipase (Novozyme 435) and vinyl acetate in hexane. High values of enantiomeric excess (>99%) were obtained. (AU)