Process for preparing optically active 3,3,3-trifluoromethyl-2-alkylpropionic acid derivatives

摘要

The invention relates to a novel method for the preparation of optically active 3,3,3-trifluoromethyl-2-alkyl propionic acid derivatives of the general formulae (I) and (II), in which R is ethyl or methyl and X is OH or NH2, provided that if R is methyl X<> -OH. The method comprises the reaction of a racemic propionic acid amide of the general formula (III) either by means of microorganisms which are able to use the propionic acid amide in the form of the racemate or one of its optically active isomers as the only nitrogen source or by means of a polypeptide with amidohydrolase activity which is able to hydrolyze the propionic acid amide. The invention also relates to new optically active representatives of this category of compounds.