| 摘要 |
A process for preparing alpha -hydroxy acids represented by the general formula (II) : RCH(OH)COOH (wherein R represents a hydrogen atom, an optionally substituted C1-C6 alkyl group, an optionally substituted C2-C6 alkenyl group, an optionally substituted C1-C6 alkoxy group, an optionally substituted aryl group, an optionally substituted aryloxy group, or an optionally substituted heterocyclic group) by allowing a microorganism to act on alpha -hydroxy nitriles (I) : RCH(OH)CN (wherein R is as defined above) to hydrolyze and convert the alpha -hydroxy nitriles to alpha -hydroxy acids (II), wherein the alpha -hydroxy acids (II) are produced and accumulated in an aqueous solvent by a microorganism having the concentration resistance to the alpha -hydroxy nitriles (I) and/or alpha -hydroxy acids (II) and durability preferably in the presence of a cyanide, and harvested. According to this process, the use of the microorganism having the concentration resistance to the alpha -hydroxy nitriles (I) and/or alpha -hydroxy acids (II) and durability high enough to permit the activity to persist for a long period of time enables alpha -hydroxy acids (II) to be accumulated in high concentrations and cell bodies to be repeatedly used, and hence enables alpha -hydroxy acids (II) to be efficiently prepared. The addition of a cyanide to the reaction system results in more efficient preparation of alpha -hydroxy acids (II). |
