Reaction: 4-chlorophenylacetonitrile + 2 H2O = 4-chlorophenylacetate + NH3
Systematic name: arylacetonitrile aminohydrolase
Comments: Requires thiol compounds. Also hydrolyses other 4-substituted phenylacetonitriles, thien-2-ylacetonitrile, tolylacetonitriles, and, more slowly, benzyl cyanide.
Links to other databases: BRENDA, EXPASY, KEGG, Metacyc, CAS registry number: 132053-06-6
References:
1. Mauger, J., Nagasawa, T. and Yamada, H. Occurrence of a novel nitrilase, arylacetonitrilase, in Alcaligenes faecalis JM3. Arch. Microbiol. 155 (1990) 1-6.
2. Nagasawa, T., Mauger, J. and Yamada, H. A novel nitrilase, arylacetonitrilase, of Alcaligenes faecalis JM3. Purification and characterization. Eur. J. Biochem. 194 (1990) 765-772. [PMID: 2269298]