Strengthening the Combination between Enzymes and Metals in Aqueous Medium: Concurrent Ruthenium‐Catalyzed Nitrile Hydration ‐ Asymmetric Ketone Bioreduction

A dual ruthenium/ketoreductase catalytic system has been developed for the conversion of β‐ketonitriles into optically active β‐hydroxyamides through an unprecedented hydration/bioreduction cascade process in aqueous medium working in concurrent mode. The ketoreductase‐mediated ketone reduction took place with exquisite stereoselectivity and it was simultaneous to the nitrile hydration promoted by the ruthenium catalyst. The overall...