Agency of Industrial Science and Technology

Ministry of International Trade & Industry

Agency of Industrial Science and Technology Ministry of International

Hiroshi Kimoto

Masato Katayama

Katsuya Kato

Shozo Fujii

An optically active (+)-4,4,4-trifluoro-3-(indole-3-)butyric acid is produced by a method which consists essentially of causing 2,2,2-trifluoroethanol to react on a racemic modification 4,4,4-trifluoro-3-(indole-3-)butyric acid thereby forming a reaction solution containing the trifluoroethyl ester of the butyric acid, causing an enzyme having an esterase activity to act on the reaction solution thereby forming an optically active (+)-4,4,4-trifluoro-3-(indole-3-)butyric acid, and thereafter separating the reaction product from the reaction solution.

Method for production of optically active

An agent for increasing the sugar content and/or decreasing the acid content of plant fruits has as a substantial main component thereof a fluorine-containing .beta.-indolebutyric acid compound represented by the general formula ##STR1## (wherein Y stands for one member selected from the class consisting of hydroxyl group, alkoxy group, amino group, and alkyl amino group and R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 independently stand for one member selected from the class consisting of hydrogen atom, halogen atom, alkyl group, alkoxy group, aryl group, nitro group, amino group, and alkyl amino group). A method for producing ripe fruits having a high sugar content and/or a low acid content by causing the fluorine-containing .beta.-indolebutyric acid compound mentioned above to adhere to unripe fruits on plants and plants bearing fruits and subsequently allowing the fruits to mature.

Indole -3-alkanoic acid derivatives and use for increasing sugar content

A substituted fluorine-containing .beta.-indolebutyric acid compound represented by the formula: ##STR1## wherein Y stands for one member selected from the group consisting of hydroxyl group, alkoxy group, amino group, and alkylamino group, at least one of R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 stands for one member selected from the group consisting of halogen atom, alkyl group, alkoxy group, aryl group, nitro group, amino group, and alkylamino group, and the remaining one, if any, for a hydrogen atom, a plant growth regulating agent having as a substantial main component thereof the substituted fluorine-containing .beta.-indolebutyric acid compound, and a method for regulating the length of roots sprouting from plant seeds and the length of hypocotyls by causing adhesion of the substituted fluorine-containing .beta.-indolebutyric acid compound to the plant seeds.

Growing community of inventors

Kuwana, Japan

Hiroshi Kimoto