Process for the production of optically active 2-hydroxy-4-phenylbutyric acid

摘要

2-Oxo-4-phenylbutyric acid is treated with a microorganism, which has been optionally treated, capable of asymmetrically reducing 2-oxo-4-phenylbutyric acid into either (R)-2-hydroxy-4-phenylbutyric acid or (S)-2-hydroxy-4-phenylbutyric acid, and the (R)-2-hydroxy-4-phenylbutyric acid or (S)-2-hydroxy-4-phenylbutyric acid thus produced is recovered to thereby give optically active 2-hydroxy-4-phenylbutyric acid. The optically active 2-hydroxy-4-phenylbutyric acid is an important intermediate in the synthesis of various drugs such as a remedy for hypertension.