Microbial asymmetric decarboxylation of fluorine-containing arylmalonic acid derivatives

Article abstract of DOI:10.1016/S0022-1139(00)82414-8

α-Methyl-α-(trifluoromethylphenyl)malonic acids have been incubated with Alcaligenes bronchisepticus to afford optically active α-arylpropionic acids.Generally, the chemical and optical yields of the reaction products were higher when the substituents on the aromatic ring were strongly electron-withdrawing.Decarboxylation of α-fluoro-α-phenylmalonic acid with the aid of the same bacterium afforded optically active α-fluoro-α-phenylacetic acid.