Idemitsu Kosan Company, Limited

Nobuo Murakami

Masami Mochizuki

Motoshi Suzuki

Akira Inoue

Azuma Komeiji

An efficient microbiological or biochemical method is proposed for the preparation of an optically active 2-substituted carboxylic acid, e.g., 2-chloropropionic acid, 2-methyl butyric acid and the like, from the corresponding 2-substituted nitrile compound, e.g., 2-chloropropionitrile, 2-methyl butyronitrile and the like, in the form of a racemic body as the starting material The method comprises bringing the starting nitrile compound into contact with a microorganism, such as Pseudomonas sp. MY-1 (FERM BP-2541), Fusarium sp. MY-2 (FERM BP-2542) and the like, capable of converting the nitrile compound into the carboxylic acid in a buffered aqueous medium in which the microbial cells of the microorganism are suspended.

Method for the preparation of an optically active 2-substituted

Optically active substances are prepared by the asymmetric hydrolysis of ##STR1## with specific microorganisms.

Method for preparing optically active substances

Sorbic acid can be prepared by the activity of a specific microorganism on 2,4-hexadienal. This method can be performed under mild conditions and, different from organo-chemical methods, is advantageous because no by-products are formed.

Method for the preparation of sorbic acid by oxidizing 2,4-hexadienal

A process for setting gypsum which comprises incorporating carboxyalkylated protein as a setting retarder in gypsum paste in an amount of 0.001 to 5% by weight based upon the weight of the gypsum.

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Sodegaura, Japan

Nobuo Murakami