Electronic substituent effects in the nitrilase-catalyzed hydrolysis of para-substituted benzyl cyanides

Biotransformations of aromatic diniitriles using Rhodococcus equi cells

“…In several studies the substrate specificity of the enzyme complexes NOVO SP 361 and SP 409 from Rhodococcus sp. has been reported (Cohen et al 1990(Cohen et al , 1992, Hrnicke-Schmidt and Schneider 1990, Klempier et aL 1991, Geresh et al 1993, Crosby et al 1994). Owing to a relatively high activity of amidase, these preparations have been preferred for the conversion to acids.…”

Versatile nitrilases: Nitrile-hydrolysing enzymes

“…Industrial production of acrylamide from acrylonitrile by our nitrile hydratase triggered various studies on the synthesis of other useful acids or amides from nitriles by nitrile-converting enzymes [3]. We describe here the synthesis only by nitrilase, which is unambiguously distinguished from nitrile-converting cells, because nitrilase has sometimes been confused with nitrile hydratase [28,29].…”