Practical Biotransformations

The development of new asymmetric catalytic methods is offundamental importance to industrial synthetic chemistry. Thedemand for optically pure synthetic intermediates and the drive toadopt greener methods of synthesis have stimulated a growinginterest in biocatalysis as a selective and environmentally benignsynthetic technique.
Practical Biotransformations: A Beginner's Guide providesan introduction to microbes and enzymes and demonstrates theirpractical applications in synthetic organic chemistry. Designed asa laboratory manual, this user-friendly guide discusses standardlaboratory techniques, with appropriate advice on aspects ofmicrobial practice and associated safety.
Topics covered include:
* An introduction to equipment in a biotransformationslaboratory
* An overview of biocatalyst sources
* Maintenance and growth of biocatalysts
* Example biotransformations using commercially availablemicrobes and enzymes
* Basic gene cloning and the use of 'designer'biocatalysts
This book will be a valuable resource for synthetic organicchemists with little or no experience of biochemistry ormicrobiology. It is the author's hope that this text willinspire readers to consider biocatalytic methods as realalternatives to traditional synthetic solutions.