Orion-Yhtyma Oy Fermion

Liisa Kanerva

Martti Hytonen

Pekka Kairisalo

Oskari Sundholm

An enzymatic method for the preparation of (2S,3S)-threo-alkyl-2-hydroxy-3-(4-methoxyphenyl)-3-(2-X-phenylthio)propio nate, where X=NO.sub.2, NH.sub.2, NHCOCH.sub.3, NHCOCF.sub.3, NHCO.sub.2 CH.sub.3, NHCO.sub.2 C(CH.sub.3).sub.3 or NHCHO and R is an alkyl group, e.g., CH.sub.3, or CH.sub.2 CH.sub.3 in an essentially anhydrous organic solvent is described. In this method a lipase which stereospecifically acylates the (2R,3R)-enantiomer of the racemic mixture is used. After enzymatic reaction, the (2S,3S)-enantiomer and the acylated (2R,3R)-compound are separated, e.g., by flash-chromatography or by fraction crystallization of the (2S,3S)-compound from the reaction mixture.

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Littoinen, Finland

Liisa Kanerva