Process for producing optically active α-amino acid and optically active α-amino acid amide

Abstract

The present invention provides a process for efficiently producing an optically active α-amino acid and an optically active α-amino acid amide. After contacting with cells or processed cells thereof having an ability to asymmetrically hydrolyse, a water solvent is substituted with at least one solvent selected from the group consisting of linear, branched, or cyclic alcohol having 3 or more carbon atoms and the optically active α-amino acid is preferentially precipitated from the alcohol solution. The addition of basic compounds, particularly potassium compounds to the alcohol solution containing the optically active α-amino acid amide, which is obtained after the separation of the optically active α-amino acid, enables the purification of the amide without the inclusion of amino acid into amino acid amide. Thus, the amide is subjected to the step of racemization and then recycled.