Exploring the Substrate Scope and Catalytic Promiscuity of Nitroreductase‐Like Enzymes

Flavin‐dependent nitroreductases are gaining attention as biocatalysts for the synthesis of pharmaceutically active compounds and their precursors. Here, we examined a panel of nitroreductase‐like flavoenzymes for their reductase activity towards a wide variety of aromatic and aliphatic nitro compounds, nitroolefins, and α,β‐unsaturated carbonyl compounds. Several of these flavoenzymes displayed high reductase activity and achieved excellent conversion of diverse nitroarenes, nitroolefins and α,β‐unsaturated carbonyl compounds, accomplishing good product yields in semi‐preparative scale reactions (up to 97%). In addition to the catalytic promiscuity of several of these flavoenzymes, being able to perform the reduction of nitro groups (nitroreductase activity) as well as C=C groups (ene‐reductase activity), this study also revealed that some flavoenzymes exhibit high chemo‐, regio‐ and/or enantioselectivity, making them attractive enzymes for use in organic synthesis.