CONTROLLABLE SYNTHESIS OF N-ARYLHYDROXYLAMINES FROM NITROARENES BY HIGHLY CHEMO-SELECTIVE TWOSTEP TANDEM REDUCTION USING A NOVEL BACTERIAL NITROREDUCTASE

Abstract

N-Arylhydroxylamines serve as versatile intermediate organic molecules for the synthesis of industrially valuable fine chemicals, bioactive drugs, and polymerization inhibitors. Due to the active electron group of -NHOH in arylhydroxylamines, it is an extremely unstable and easily further reduced to corresponding amines. In addition, the synthesis of arylhydroxylamines by conventional chemical is usually performed using toxic heavy metals and chemical additives under high pressure and high temperature conditions. Thus, a novel eco-method is urgently needed. In this study, we developed a continuous flow method to synthesize arylhydroxylamines by a novel nitroreductase from Geodermatophilus obscurus, which shows high activity and chemo-selectivity in converting nitroarenes to NArylhydroxylamines (>99%) under mild condition. This method therefore provides a novel avenue to synthesis Nhydroxylamine.