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Peer-reviewedCC BYResults in Chemistry

Whole-cell biocatalytic acyloin condensation of benzaldehyde by baker's yeast: CC bond formation and

  • Amir Majd1
  • Maziar Hakim2
  • Javad Hamedi3
  1. 1School of Biotechnology, College of Science, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
  2. 2School of Biotechnology, College of Science, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran; Corresponding authors.
  3. 3Department of Applied Biology (Department of Microbial Biotechnology), School of Biology, College of Science, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran; Corresponding authors.
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Abstract

Whole-cell biocatalysis provides an experimentally accessible system for examining carbon–carbon bond formation alongside competing endogenous reactions. This article is structured as an undergraduate laboratory course in sustainable organic synthesis centered on the biotransformation of benzaldehyde by Saccharomyces cerevisiae , with particular emphasis on pyruvate decarboxylase-mediated acyloin condensation to phenylacetylcarbinol (PAC) and competing reductive pathways. The workflow combines yeast cultivation, benzaldehyde biotransformation, crude-product recovery, creatine–α-naphthol colorimetric assay, and 1 H NMR analysis. The colorimetric response provided preliminary evidence consistent with α-hydroxy ketone formation, while diagnostic NMR signals supported PAC formation and revealed a mixed product profile arising from carboligation and reduction. Relative integration of selected non-overlapping resonances was used to estimate apparent benzaldehyde conversion and relative product distribution. Because no chiral analysis was performed, no direct stereochemical assignment is made; the expected R configuration is based on the established literature. Overall, the experiment provides an integrated model of competing whole-cell biotransformations, linking microbial culture, product recovery, and spectroscopic analysis in an upper-division laboratory setting.

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Cite

BibTeXRIS
BibTeX
@article{majd2026wholecell,
  title = {{Whole-cell biocatalytic acyloin condensation of benzaldehyde by baker's yeast: CC bond formation and}},
  author = {Amir Majd and Maziar Hakim and Javad Hamedi},
  journal = {Results in Chemistry},
  year = {2026},
  month = oct,
  doi = {10.1016/j.rechem.2026.103957},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rechem.2026.103957},
  note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY  - JOUR
TI  - Whole-cell biocatalytic acyloin condensation of benzaldehyde by baker's yeast: CC bond formation and
AU  - Amir Majd
AU  - Maziar Hakim
AU  - Javad Hamedi
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/10/30
JO  - Results in Chemistry
DO  - 10.1016/j.rechem.2026.103957
UR  - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rechem.2026.103957
AB  - Whole-cell biocatalysis provides an experimentally accessible system for examining carbon–carbon bond formation alongside competing endogenous reactions. This article is structured as an undergraduate laboratory course in sustainable organic synthesis centered on the biotransformation of benzaldehyde by Saccharomyces cerevisiae , with particular emphasis on pyruvate decarboxylase-mediated acyloin condensation to phenylacetylcarbinol (PAC) and competing reductive pathways. The workflow combines yeast cultivation, benzaldehyde biotransformation, crude-product recovery, creatine–α-naphthol colorimetric assay, and 1 H NMR analysis. The colorimetric response provided preliminary evidence consistent with α-hydroxy ketone formation, while diagnostic NMR signals supported PAC formation and revealed a mixed product profile arising from carboligation and reduction. Relative integration of selected non-overlapping resonances was used to estimate apparent benzaldehyde conversion and relative product distribution. Because no chiral analysis was performed, no direct stereochemical assignment is made; the expected R configuration is based on the established literature. Overall, the experiment provides an integrated model of competing whole-cell biotransformations, linking microbial culture, product recovery, and spectroscopic analysis in an upper-division laboratory setting.
SN  - 2211-7156
ER  -