Patent ID: 8143052
Filing Date: 2012-03-27
Classification: C12P

Abstract:
1. A process for preparing an optically active (S or R)-α-amino acid represented by the formula (II): wherein R represents an alkyl group, an alkenyl group, an alkynyl group, a cycloalkyl group, an aralkyl group, a heteroarylalkyl group, an aryl group or a heteroaryl group, each of which may have a substituent(s), and * represents an asymmetric carbon atom, and an optically active (R or S)-α-amino acid ester represented by the formula (III): wherein R has the same meaning as defined above, R which comprises selectively reacting water with one of enantiomers of an α-amino acid ester which is a racemic mixture and represented by the formula (I): wherein R and R in the presence of a lipase in an organic solvent in a single phase without causing phase separation from a reaction system.