Enantioselective 2-hydroperoxylation of long-chain fatty acids in marine algae

When long-chain saturated and unsaturated fatty acids were incubated with crude enzyme of marine green alga Ulva pertusa, the corresponding (R)-2-hydroperoxy acids were found to have high enantiomeric excess (> 99%). In a similar administration experiment, the (R)-2-hydroperoxy acid was obtained from the incubation of palmitic acid with crude enzymes of a variety of marine algae. Thus, we found that not only green algae but also brown and red algae are capable of enantioselective 2-hydroperoxylation of palmitic acid.