A Biocatalytic Henry Reaction—The Hydroxynitrile Lyase from <i>Hevea brasiliensis</i> Also Catalyzes Nitroaldol Reactions

Novel enzyme activity: Biocatalytic Henry reactions with nitromethane and nitroethane yielded the corresponding nitroalcohols with good enantio- and diastereocontrol in the presence of the hydroxynitrile lyase from the tropical rubber tree Hevea brasiliensis. Molecular modeling and deuterated starting materials were used in mechanistic investigations.