PROCESS FOR PRODUCING OPTICALLY ACTIVE ARYLOXYPROPIONIC ACIDS AND DERIVATIVES THEREOF USEFUL AS HERBICIDES

摘要

alpha -Aryloxypropionic acids and derivatives of formula I below are stereospecifically inverted by contact with a microorganism having a stereospecific inverting enzyme system or with that enzyme system at least partially extracted from the microorganism. This process enables the [S] enantiomer of the compound of formula I wherein E is OR<1> or R<1> is an unsubstituted or substituted aryl or heterocyclic ring system, and R<2> is hydrogen or methyl, U and V each independently represent hydrogen or halogen and R is a carboxyl group, or an enzymic and herbicidal equivalent thereof, to be converted to the corresponding [R] enantiomer which is the active herbicidal enantiomer. Specific microorganisms which effect the inversion are a Rhodococcus sp. (NCIB 11880), Rhodococcus rhodochrous (ATCC 13808). Rhodococcus sp. (NCIB 11276) and Botrytis cinerea (ATCC 28387).