A non-natural biosynthesis pathway toward 2-methylisoborneol

Abstract

The biosynthesis of 2-methylisoborneol was reconstituted by elongation of dimethylallyl diphosphate (DMAPP) with (S)- and (R)-2-methylisopentenyl diphosphate (2-Me-IPP) using farnesyl diphosphate synthase (FPPS), followed by terpene cyclisation. The stereochemical course of the FPPS reaction was studied in detail using stereoselectively deuterated 2-Me-IPP isotopomers.