- Method for preparing optically active 5-hydroxy-3-(4'-hydroxyphenyl)-1,1,3-trimethylindane
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A process for resolving racemic diesters of (R,S)(±)-5-hydroxy-3-(4'-hydroxyphenyl)-1,1,3-trimethylindane is disclosed. The process utilizes a microbial enzyme derived from Chromobacterium viscosum to catalyze the enantioselective and regioselective hydrolysis of the (S)(-)-enantiomer of the racemic mixture to its corresponding monoester at a faster rate than the (R)(+)-enantiomer. A substantially pure (S)(-)-indane monoester is thereby formed, while the (R)(+)-indane diester remains unreacted. The (S)(-)-monoester and the (R)(+)-diester can then be hydrolyzed using conventional techniques to form optically active (R)(+)- and (S)(-)-5-hydroxy-3-(4'-hydroxyphenyl)-1,1,3-trimethylindane enantiomers for use as monomers in the synthesis of chiral polymers.
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- Optical resolution for producing optically active alcohol
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A process for producing an optically active alcohol comprising carrying out interesterification between a racemic alcohol and an ester selected from the group consisting of (a) a diester between a lower monohydric alcohol and a saturated dicarboxylic acid having 14 or more carbon atoms, (b) a triglyceride of a saturated fatty acid having 16 or more carbon atoms, and (c) a monoester between a lower monohydric alcohol and a saturated fatty acid having 18 or more carbon atoms in the presence of lipase, preferably heat-resistant lipase, and in the presence or absence of a solvent, preferably in the absence of a solvent, under a substantially water-free condition, separating an optically active alcohol rich in either one of R- and S-forms from the reaction mixture, and adding an optically inactive non-racemic alcohol to the residue of the previous step to carry out interesterification under the same conditions as in the previous reaction to separate the other enantiomer. According to the present invention a racemic alcohol can easily be resolved into each enantiomer with high purity in good yield.
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