Optimization of enantioselective production of chiral epichlorohydrin catalyzed by a novel epoxide hydrolase from domestic duck liver by response surface methodology

Enantiopure epichlorohydrin is a valuable epoxide intermediate for preparing optically active pharmaceuticals. In the present study, a novel epoxide hydrolase prepared from domestic duck liver was used as biocatalyst for producing (S)-epichlorohydrin which preparation process was optimized by response surface methodology. Response surface methodology was performed to evaluate the effects of reaction temperature, pH and reaction time on production of (S)-epichlorohydrin by the novel epoxide hydrolase. (S)-epichlorohydrin production was optimized by Box-Behnken. Three reaction parameters were optimized as follows: pH value 7.10, reaction temperature 32.44°C and reaction time 11.06 h. The adequately high R2 value 0.9599 and F score 13.29 indicated the statistical significance of the model. The enantioselective excess of (S)-epichlorohydrin after optimization was 86.14% while the predicted value was 85.55%. In conclusion, enantioselective hydrolysis conditions optimization to enhance optical purity of (S)-epichlorohydrin could be easily and effectively done by response surface methodology; the developed production process indicated the novel epoxide hydrolase from domestic duck liver was high efficient biocatalyst for preparing enantiopure epichlorohydrin.