The biotransformation of t-butylacetonitrile and its boron-containing analogue trimethylamine-cyanoborane by Brevibacterium R312.

The ability of the nitrile hydratase/amidase system from Brevibacterium R312 to biotransform tert-butylacetonitrile was studied with a view to their utilisation in the production of novel amino acids from isostructural compounds. Brevibacterium R312 was able to transform nitriles with this structure; however, the wide spectrum amidase from this organism was unable to biotransform the corresponding amide to the carboxylic acid.