Biocatalytic approach to enatiomerically pure β-amino acids

Article abstract of DOI:10.1016/0957-4166(95)00204-3

β-Aryl-β-amino acids were prepared in good chemical yield and high enantiomeric purity (> 95% ee) via penicillin acylase-catalyzed hydrolysis of the corresponding N-phenylacetyl derivatives. The (R)-enantiomers were the fast-reacting isomers in all cases studied. The biocatalytic procedure described employs a very simple set of reactions using inexpensive commercially available chemicals and enzyme, and could be easily scaled up.