A Nonstereoselective Biocatalytic Approach to the Oxidation of Aryl-Ring-Containing Secondary Alcohols

Oxidation of secondary alcohols to their corresponding ketones is a transformation of enduring interest in synthetic chemistry. We report a biocatalytic method employing unspecific peroxygenase from Agrocybe aegerita (AaeUPO) using hydrogen peroxide as the sole oxidant, to convert racemic aryl-ring-containing secondary alcohols into their corresponding ketones. The enzyme efficiently oxidizes both enantiomers without stereopreference, producing the desired ketones with minimal to no side products. This approach offers a promising alternative to conventional oxidation methods.