Enzymatic Synthesis of L-Pipecolic Acid by Δ1-Piperideine-2-carboxylate Reductase from Pseudomonas putida

L-Pipecolic acid is a chiral pharmaceutical intermediate. An enzymatic system for the synthesis Of L-pipecolic acid from L-lysine by commercial L-lysine alpha-oxidase from Trichoderma viride and an extract of recombinant Escherichia coli cells coexpressing Delta(1)-piperideine-2-carboxylate reductase from Pseudomonas putida and glucose dehydrogenase from Bacillus subtilis is described. A laboratory-scale process provided 27 g/l of L-pipecolic acid in 99.7% e.e.