VERFAHREN ZUR DEMETHYLIERUNG VON DIMETHYLSULPHONIUM-VERBINDUNGEN

摘要

PCT No. PCT/EP94/01640 Sec. 371 Date Nov. 14, 1995 Sec. 102(e) Date Nov. 14, 1995 PCT Filed May 16, 1994 PCT Pub. No. WO94/26918 PCT Pub. Date Nov. 24, 1994Process for preparing S-methylmercapto and mercapto compounds comprising the step of demethylating a dimethylsulfonium compound of formula I to the corresponding S-methylmercapto compound of formula II, using a microorganism or alga which is capable of demethylating 3-dimethylsulfonium propionate (DMSP) to S-methyl-3-mercaptopropionate (MMPA), but which is incapable of further demethylating the latter compound to 3-mercaptopropionate with the same speed, or using an enzyme preparation derivable from such microorganism or alga: Preferably the group R denotes CH2-CH2-COOH (I is DMSP), CH2-CH(NH2)-COOH (I is S-dimethyl-cystein), CH2-Ch2-CH (NH2) -COOH (I is S-methyl-methionine) or CH2-COOH (I is 2-dimethylsulfonium acetate), or a salt or ester of any of these. The microorganisms are preferably marine Desulfobacterium strains, especially a Desulfobacterium autotrophicum, Desulfobacterium vacuolatum or similar strain.