The enzymatic transformation of water‐insoluble reactants in nonaqueous solvents. Conversion of cholesterol to cholest‐4‐ene‐3‐one by a Ncardia sp.

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Abstract
The rapid conversion of cholesterol to cholestenone by Nocardia in the presence of high proportions of water‐immiscible solvent has been demonstrated. At high agitator speeds, the reaction rate was not limited by the rates of transfer of oxygen or cholesterol to the microorganisms. Using 100 g of thawed cells in 200 ml of carbon tetrachloride containing 16% (w/v) cholesterol, at 20°C cholestenone was formed at 7 g/hr. Cells could be separated easily from the organic solvent and reused. After 7 runs (69 hr) the reaction rate had fallen only to half the value for the first run.