Patent ID: 6143554
Filing Date: 2000-11-07
Classification: C07D,C12P

Abstract:
A process for producing an optically active N-substituted azetidine-2-carboxylic acid compound represented by the formula (1): ##STR5## wherein R.sup.2 represents: an aralkyl group, which may be substituted on its aromatic ring with at least one group selected from an alkyl group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms, an alkoxy group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms, a halogen atom and a nitro group, oran alkylcarbonyl group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms, which may be substituted with at least one group selected from an alkoxy group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms, a halogen atom and a nitro group, oran arylcarbonyl group, which may be substituted on its aromatic ring with at least one group selected from an alkyl group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms, an alkoxy group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms, a halogen atom, a phenyl group and a nitro group, oran alkyloxycarbonyl group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms, which may be substituted with at least one group selected from a halogen atom, a sulfonyl group and an aryl group, which aryl group may be substituted on its aromatic ring with at least one group selected from an alkyl group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms, an alkoxy group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms, a halogen atom and a nitro group, oran allyloxycarbonyl group, oran aryloxycarbonyl group, which may be substituted on its aromatic ring with at least one group selected from an alkyl group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms, an alkoxy group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms, a halogen atom and a nitro group, oran alkyl group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms, which may be substituted with at least one group selected from an alkoxy group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms, a halogen atom and a nitro group, oran allyl group, oran aryl group, which may be substituted on its aromatic ring with at least one group selected from an alkyl group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms, an alkoxy group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms, a halogen atom and a nitro group, oran arylsulfonyl group, which may be substituted on its aromatic ring with at least one group selected from an alkyl group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms, an alkoxy group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms, a halogen atom and a nitro group, and* represents an asymmetric carbon atom,the process comprising asymmetrically hydrolyzing an N-substituted azetidine-2-carboxylic acid ester compound represented by the following formula (2): ##STR6## wherein R.sup.1 represents: an alkyl group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms, which may be substituted with at least one group selected from an alkoxy group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms, a halogen atom and a nitro group, oran allyl group, oran aralkyl group, which may be substituted, on its aromatic ring with at least one group selected from an alkyl group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms, an alkoxy group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms, a halogen atom and a nitro group, oran aryl group, which may be substituted on its aromatic ring with at least one group selected from an alkyl group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms, an alkoxy group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms, a halogen atom and a nitro group, andR.sup.2 has the same meaning as defined above,by contacting the same with an enzyme derived from a microorganism selected from Arthrobacter SC-6-98-28 strain, Arthrobacter sp. ATCC21908 strain, Chromobacterium SC-YM-1 strain, and a mutant thereof.