PRODUCTION OF R(-)-MANDELIC ACID AND ITS DERIVATIVE

• Main Authors: ENDO RYUICHI, TAMURA KOJI
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 20.04.1993
• Subjects: BEER; BIOCHEMISTRY; CHEMISTRY; ENZYMOLOGY; FERMENTATION OR ENZYME-USING PROCESSES TO SYNTHESISE A DESIREDCHEMICAL COMPOUND OR COMPOSITION OR TO SEPARATE OPTICAL ISOMERSFROM A RACEMIC MIXTURE; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; METALLURGY; MICROBIOLOGY; MUTATION OR GENETIC ENGINEERING; PROCESSES USING MICROORGANISMS; SPIRITS; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ARTCOLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS; VINEGAR; WINE

PURPOSE:To directly obtain the subject compound in high optical purity, yield and operability at a low cost without using optical resolution by treating a mixture of R,S-mandelonitrile and hydrocyanic acid with a specific microorganism. CONSTITUTION:The objective compound of formula III is produced by treating a mixture of a compound of formula I or a benzaldehyde of formula II or its derivative and hydrocyanic acid in a nearly neutral or basic aqueous medium with a microbial strain belonging to genus Rhodococcus and capable of stereoselectively hydrolyzing the nitrile group of an R,S-mandelonitrile of formula I (X is H, halogen, etc., positioned at o-, m-or psite) or its derivative [e.g. new microbial strain Rhodococcus sp. HT29-7 (FERM BP-1220)]. The reaction is preferably carried out at pH6-10 and 10-30 deg.C for 0.1-100hr.