A novel application of whole cells of Nocardia corallina B-276 for the deracemisation of ibuprofen is reported. This microorganism successfully hydrolysed ibuprofen nitrile to ibuprofen amide, and ibuprofen amide to ibuprofen, using a suspension of cells in a potassium phosphate buffer solution (0.1 M, pH = 7.0). These results can be explained by the presence of NHase and amidase enzymes, but the reactions are not enantioselective and low ee values were obtained. However, ( R )-ibuprofen was isolated with >99% ee by a deracemisation process catalysed by N. corallina B-276. This is the first report of this kind of catalysis with this microorganism.

A biotransformação de (S)-cis-verbenol com Nocardia corallina foi investigada usando-se dois procedimentos: Suspensão de células em tampão de fosfatos (pH 7), com várias relações substrato: células e bioreator de 3-L com células em meio de cultura. (1S)-(-)-verbenona foi obtida com excelentes rendimentos que variaram de >99% a 98%, em escala de 0,7 e 7 mmol respectivamente. The biotransformation of (S)-cis-verbenol with Nocardia corallina was investigated using two methods: Suspension of cells in a phosphate buffer (pH 7) with various substrate:cells ratios; and bioreactor of 3-L with cells in the culture media. Both gave (1S)-(-)-verbenone with excellent yields ranging from >99 to 98%, at scale of 0.7 and 7 mmol respectively.