Stereoselective hydrolysis of racemic ethyl 4-chloro-3-hydroxybutyrate by a lipase

摘要

The stereoselective hydrolysis of racemic ethyl 4-chloro-3-hydroxybutyrate (ECHB) was performed by using Novozym 435 lipase in an aqueous phase. It was found that racemic ECHB was hydrolysed to (R)-ECHB and (S)-3-hydroxy-gamma-butyrolactone (HGBL) via (S)-4-chloro-3-hydroxybutyric acid. From this result, (R)-ECHB (99%ee) was produced in a good yield on a preparative scale.