Enzymatic Synthesis of Hydroxycinnamic Acid Amides in Water Using the Promiscuous Hydrolase/Acyltransferase PestE from Pyrobaculum calidifontis VA1

Hydroxycinnamic acid amides are believed to have antioxidant, antidiabetic, cytotoxic, anticancer, neuroprotective, and antiin-flammatory properties, making them interesting target molecules for potential applications in the food, cosmetics, and pharmaceutical in-dustries. Here, we describe the synthesis of hydroxycinnamic acid am-ides starting from hydroxycinnamic acid esters and the correspondingamines by using variants of the promiscuous hydrolase/acyltransferasefrom Pyrobaculum calidifontis VA1 (PestE) in water as a solvent. Up to97% conversion within two hours at 60 degrees C was achieved with methylferulate and tyramine as substrates. This is a promising, environmental-ly friendly alternative strategy to established chemical synthesis routesor enzymatic methods using lipases in nonaqueous organic solvents.