CANDIDA-CYLINDRACEA LIPASE-MEDIATED KINETIC RESOLUTION OF ALPHA-SUBSTITUTED ALPHA-ARYLOXYACETIC ACID METHYL-ESTERS

Hydrolysis of several alpha-alkyl-alpha-aryloxyacetic acid methyl este rs and of hyl-alpha-(n-propyl)-alpha-(p-chlorophenoxy)acetic acid meth yl ester were performed in the presence of Candida cylindrarea lipase. The alpha-alkyl-alpha-aryloxyacetic acid methyl esters and hyl-alpha- (n-propyl)-alpha-(p-chlorophenoxy)acetic acid methyl ester were incuba ted in buffer phosphate (pH 7-8). The reaction mixture, containing the unreacted ester and corresponding acid, showed enantiomeric excesses (ee) up to 81%. The extent of conversion was quite low for the ha-meth yl-alpha-(n-propyl)-alpha-(p-chlorophenoxy) acid methyl ester, the cor responding acid was obtained with ee > 98%.