Optical Resolution of Amino Acid Esters by N-Protected Aspartylphenylalanine Esters

Article abstract of DOI:10.1246/bcsj.65.1751

A new method was studied for optical resolution of racemic amino acids esters by using, as resolving agents, N-protected L-α-aspartyl-L-phenylalanine alkyl esters, typically, N-benzyloxycarbonyl-L-α-aspartyl-L-phenylalanine methyl ester, the precursor to the synthetic sweetener aspartame.Thus, when the dipeptide and racemic amino acid ester were mixed in solvents, precipitation took place by formation of salt preferentially with D-amino acid ester to effect the optical resolution.