K. Matsumoto et al., Highly enantioselective preparation of C-2-symmetrical diols: microbial hydrolysis of cyclic carbonates, TETRAHEDR-A, 11(9), 2000, pp. 1965-1973
A new type of microbial enantioselective hydrolysis of C-2-symmetrical cycl
ic carbonates is disclosed. During the screening test of the five-membered
substrate (4,5-dimethyl-1,3-dioxolan-2-one 5), Pseudomonas diminuta was sel
ected as the best strain to perform the stereoselective hydrolysis. The rea
ction of dl-5 with this microorganism in aqueous media containing THF as th
e co-solvent afforded (S,S)-5 and (R,R)-butanediol 1 in excellent yields. I
t was found that the ring size did not affect the reactivity and enantiosel
ectivity although the enzyme had a high substrate specificity for the side
chain. A six-membered cyclic carbonate, dl-4,6-dimethyl-1,3-dioxan-2-one 6,
was smoothly hydrolyzed with higher enantioselectivity to afford the optic
ally active (S,S)-6 and (R,R)-2,4-pentanediol 2. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science
Ltd. All rights reserved.