Bienzymatic cascade for the synthesis of an optically active O-benzoyl cyanohydrin

A concurrent bienzymatic cascade for the synthesis of optically pure (S)-4-methoxymandelonitrile benzoate ((S)-3) starting from 4-anisaldehyde (1) has been developed. The cascade involves an enantioselective Manihot esculenta hydroxynitrile lyase-catalyzed hydrocyanation of 1, and the subsequent benzoylation of the resulting cyanohydrin (S)-2...