ORGANIC LETTERS, vol.5, no.12, pp.2047-2050, 2003 (Journal Indexed in SCI)
Benzaldehyde lyase from the Pseudomonas fluorescens catalyzes the reaction of aromatic aldehydes with methoxy and dimethoxy acetaldehyde and furnishes (R)-2-hydroxy-3-methoxy-1-arylpropan-1-one and (R)-2-hydroxy-3,3-dimethoxy-1-arylpropan-1-one in high yields and enantiomeric excess via acyloin linkage. Aromatic aldehydes and benzoins are converted into enamine-carbanion-like intermediates prior to carboligation.