Asymmetric Hydrolysis of Racemic 2-Oxazolidinone Esters with Lipases

Abstract

The enzymatic hydrolysis of (R, S)-5-acyloxymethyl-3-alkyl-oxazolidin-2-one I and the behavior of (S)-I for extraction with an organic solvent were examined so as to extend the biological resolution to racemates, and to learn about more appropriate combinations of substrates with lipases on the asymmetric hydrolysis. The combination of (R, S)-5-hexanoyloxymethyl-3-tert-butyl-oxazolidin-2-one 4 with lipoprotein lipase Amano 3 (L. P. L. Amano 3, origin; Pseudomonas aeruginosa) and that of (R, S)-5-octanoyloxymethyl-3-isopropyl-oxazolidin-2-one 14 with L. P. L. Amano 3 efficiently gave (S)-5-hydroxymethyl-3-tert-butyl-oxazolidin-2-one (S)-lla (99% e.e.) and (S)-5-hydroxymethyl-3-isopropyl-oxazolidin-2-one (S)-IIb (99% e.e.),respectively. (S)-IIa and (S)-IIb could be considered to be favorable intermediates for preparing optically active β-blockers.