PRODUCTION OF ACETYLENE ALCOHOL COMPOUND

摘要

PURPOSE:To produce an acetylene alcohol compound useful as an intermediate for pharmaceuticals, agrichemicals and liquid crystals on an industrial scale at a low cost by asymmetrically hydrolyzing an acetylene alcohol ester compound using an esterase capable of preferentially hydrolyzing one of the optically active isomers of the ester compound. CONSTITUTION:An optically active acetylene alcohol compound expressed by formula II [e.g. R(-)-6-heptyn-2-ol] and an optically active acetylene alcohol ester compound expressed by formula III [e.g (S)(+)-6-heptyn-2-ol butanoic acid ester] are produced on an industrial scale at a low cost by using an esterase capable of preferentially hydrolyzing either one of the optically active isomers of an acetylene alcohol ester compound of formula I [R'' is (halogenated) 1-5C alkyl; (n) is integer of 2-6] (e.g. 6-heptyn-2-ol butanoic acid ester) and carrying out asymmetric hydrolysis of the ester component under vigorous agitation at 30 deg.C for 14hr.