Method for producing mercaptans by disulfide enzyme hydrogenolysis

1. A process for the preparation of a mercaptan of formula R—SH, consisting of:

(a) preparing a mixture, comprising:

(1) a disulfide of formula R—S—S—R′,

wherein R and R′, independently, represent a linear, branched or cyclic hydrocarbon-based radical comprising from 1 to 20 carbon atoms, wherein the hydrocarbon-based radical is saturated,

(2) an amino acid bearing a thiol group or of a thiol-group-containing peptide, wherein the amino acid bearing a thiol group or the thiol-group-containing peptide may optionally be in the form of the corresponding disulfide,

(3) an enzyme catalyzing the reduction of a disulfide bridge created between two equivalents of the amino acid bearing a thiol group or the thiol-group-containing peptide,

(4) an enzyme catalyzing dehydrogenation of an organic reducing compound,

(5) a cofactor common to the enzyme from (a)(3) catalyzing the reduction and the enzyme from (a)(4) catalyzing the dehydrogenation,

(b) adding the organic reducing compound from (a)(4),

(c) carrying out the enzymatic reaction,

(d) recovering the mercaptan of formula R—SH and the mercaptan of formula R′—SH,

(e) optionally, separating and, optionally, purifying the mercaptan of formula R—SH and/or the mercaptan of formula R′—SH;

wherein the amino acid bearing a thiol group is chosen from cysteine, homocysteine, glutathione and thioredoxin,

wherein the enzyme catalyzing the reduction of a disulfide bridge created between two equivalents of the amino acid bearing a thiol group or the thiol group-containing peptide is chosen from cysteine reductase, glutathione reductase and thioredoxin reductase,

wherein the cofactor is a nicotinic cofactor,

wherein the organic reducing compound is chosen from glucose, glucose 6-phosphate, and isopropanol, and

wherein the enzyme catalyzing dehydrogenation of the organic reducing compound is chosen from the glucose dehydrogenase, the glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase, the isopropanol dehydrogenase system.

2. The process of claim 1 , consisting of:

(a′) preparing a mixture, comprising:

the disulfide of formula R—S—S—R′,

the amino acid bearing a thiol group or of a thiol-group-containing peptide,

the enzyme catalyzing the reduction of a disulfide bridge created between two equivalents of the amino acid bearing a thiol group or the thiol-group-containing peptide,

the enzyme catalyzing dehydrogenation of an organic reducing compound, and

a cofactor common to the enzyme catalyzing the reduction and the enzyme catalyzing the dehydrogenation, where the cofactor is NADPH,

(b′) adding the organic reducing compound,

(c′) carrying out the enzymatic reaction,

(d′) recovering the mercaptan of formula R—SH and the mercaptan of formula R′—SH,

(e′) separating and, optionally, purifying the mercaptan of formula R—SH and the mercaptan of formula R′—SH.

3. The process of claim 1 , wherein the disulfide of formula R—S—S—R′ is dimethyl disulfide.

4. The process of claim 1 , wherein the pH of the reaction is between 6 and 8.

5. The process of claim 1 , wherein the pH of the reaction is between 6.5 and 7.5.

6. The process of claim 1 , wherein the organic reducing compound/disulfide molar ratio is between 0.01 and 100 over the whole of the reaction.

7. The process of claim 1 , wherein the organic reducing compound/disulfide molar ratio is between 0.5 and 5 over the whole of the reaction.

8. The process of claim 1 , wherein the amino acid bearing a thiol group or a thiol-group-containing peptide is glutathione.

9. The process of claim 1 , wherein

the disulfide of formula R—S—S—R′ is dimethyl disulfide (DMDS), and

the amino acid bearing a thiol group or the peptide bearing a thiol group is glutathione.

10. The process of claim 1 , wherein

the disulfide of formula R—S—S—R′ is dimethyl disulfide (DMDS),

the amino acid bearing a thiol group or the peptide bearing a thiol group is glutathione,

the organic reducing compound is glucose, and

the cofactor is NADPH.