PRACTICAL ENZYMATIC ROUTE TO OPTICALLY-ACTIVE 3-HYDROXYAMIDES - SYNTHESIS OF 1,3-AMINOALCOHOLS

Candida antarctica lipase (CAL) is a very efficient catalyst for the e nantioselective aminolysis of different racemic 3-hydroxyesters with a liphatic amines. The degree of enantioselectivity exhibited by the lip ase depends on the substrate and nucleophile, but in the most cases, t he E values obtained are very satisfactory. CAL also catalyzes the ami nolysis of ethyl (+/-)-3,4-epoxybutyrate and the epoxyamide was achiev ed with high e.e. The chemical reduction of the 3-hydroxyamides obtain ed by enzymatic aminolysis yields the corresponding 1,3-aminoalcohols.