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Numerous enzymes have been found to catalyze additional and completely different types of reactions relative to the natural activity they evolved for. This phenomenon, called catalytic promiscuity, has proven to be a fruitful guide for the development of novel biocatalysts for organic synthesis purposes. As such, enzymes have been identified with promiscuous catalytic activity for, one or more, eminent types of carbon-carbon bond-forming reactions like aldol couplings, Michael(-type) additions, Mannich reactions, Henry reactions, and Knoevenagel condensations. This review focuses on enzymes that promiscuously catalyze these reaction types and exhibit high enantioselectivities (in case chiral products are obtained)., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Call me Michaelase: The enzyme 4‐oxalocrotonate tautomerase (4‐OT) promiscuously catalyzes the Michael‐type addition of acetaldehyde to a collection of aromatic and aliphatic nitroolefins with high stereoselectivity producing precursors of γ‐aminobutyric acid (GABA) analogues (see scheme). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]