Stereochemistry and Mechanism of Enzymatic and Non-Enzymatic Hydrolysis of Benzylic sec-Sulfate Esters

The substrate scope of inverting alkylsulfatase Pisa1 was extended towards benzylic sec-sulfate esters by suppression of competing non-enzymatic autohydrolysis by addition of dimethyl sulfoxide as co-solvent. Detailed investigation of the mechanism of autohydrolysis in 18O-labeled buffer by using an enantiopure sec-benzylic sulfate ester as substrate revealed that from the three possible pathways (i) inverting SN2-type nucleophilic attack of [OH–] at the benzylic carbon represents the major pathway, whereas (ii) SN1-type formation of a planar benzylic carbenium ion leading to racemization was a minor event, and (iii) Retaining SN2-type nucleophilic attack at sulfur took place at the limits of detection. The data obtained are interpreted by analysis of Hammett constants of meta substituents.