Kanegafuchi Chemical Industry Co., Ltd.

Masami Shimazaki

Kiyoshi Watanabe

Takehisa Ohashi

Kazunori Kan

Kenji Nomura

Junzo Hasegawa

Shigeki Hamaguchi

Hajime Kawaharada

Masahiro Ogura

Hideo Kondo

Yasushi Nose

An improved process for preparation of an optically active N-(3-mercapto-2-D-methylpropanoyl)-L-amino acid represented by formula (I): ##STR1## from an N-(3-chloro-2-D-methylpropanoyl)-L-amino acid represented by formula (II): ##STR2## (Y in (I) and (II): CH.sub.2 or sulfur; Q in (II): hydrogen, Na, K or NH.sub.4), which is characterized by reacting the compound (II) with an alkali trithiocarbonate, of which the molar ratio to the compound (II) is not less than 1.5, in an aqueous medium at a temperature of from about 60.degree. C. to about 90.degree. C., and hydrolyzing the resulting product with an acid. It is preferable to use sodium trithiocarbonate as the alkali trithiocarbonate, mineral acid as the acid, or water or aqueous alcohol as an aqueous medium.

Process for preparation of optically active thiol compounds

A process is disclosed wherein an optically active .beta.-mercaptoalkanoic acid represented by formula (I): ##STR1## wherein R.sub.1 is lower alkyl having from 1 to 4 carbon atoms, is prepared by

Process for preparation of an optically active .beta.-mercaptoalkanoic

A process is disclosed wherein an optically active N-mercaptoalkanoylamino acid is prepared by

Process for preparation of optically active N-mercaptoalkanoylamino acids

A process is disclosed wherein D(-)-.beta.-hydroxyisobutyric acid is produced fermentatively from isobutyric acid or methacrylic acid by the stereoselective action of microorganisms having the ability to convert isobutyric acid or methacrylic acid into D(-)-.beta.-hydroxyisobutyric acid in an aqueous medium, and D(-)-.beta.-hydroxyisobutyric acid is recovered from the aqueous medium.

Fermentative production of D(-)-.beta.-hydroxyisobutyric acid

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Takasago, Japan

Masami Shimazaki