Chemoenzymatic synthesis and properties of sucuronamide

Using D-glucurono-6,3-lactone (GlcL) as a starting material, sucuronamide (SucAm) was synthesized in two steps using a chemoenzymatic method. In the first chemical synthesis, D-glucuronamide (GlcAm) was synthesized by treating GlcL with NH3 in ethanol. In the second enzymatic synthesis exploiting transfructosylation activity of -fructofuranosidase, which is inhibited by D-glucose, from Arthrobacter sp. K-1, addition of the sucrose non-assimilating yeast, Saccharomyces bisporus NBRC1131, to the reaction mixture increased SucAm production from GlcAm and sucrose. The overall molar yield of this disaccharide after purification by column chromatography and crystallization was 34.7%.