Development of an organo- and enzyme-catalysed one-pot, sequential three-component reaction

A one-pot, three-component process is described which involves both organo- and enzyme-catalysed carbon–carbon bond-forming steps. In the first step, an organocatalyst catalyses the aldol reaction between acetaldehyde and a glyoxylamide. After dilution with additional aqueous buffer, and addition of pyruvate and an aldolase enzyme variant, a second aldol reaction occurs to yield a final product. Crucially, it was possible to develop a reaction in which both the organo- and enzyme-catalysed reactions could be performed in the same aqueous buffer system. The reaction described is the first example of a one-pot, three-component reaction in which the two carbon–carbon bond-forming processes are catalysed using the combination of an organocatalyst and an enzyme.