Process for the production of enantiomerically pure tertiary beta-hydroxy acids and esters

Verfahren zur Herstellung einer enantiomerenreinen tertiären β-Hydroxycarbonsäure bzw. ihres Esters dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß ein Enantiomerengemisch von Verbindungen mit einem Enzym, das zur hydrolytischen Spaltung einer Esterbindung befähigt ist, in einem wässrigen Medium in Kontakt gebracht wird, so daß ein Enantiomer des Enantiomerengemisches hydrolysiert wird. Preparation of enantiomerically pure tertiary beta -hydroxycarboxylic acids or esters involves contacting an enantiomer mixture of the esters in an aqueous medium with an enzyme causing hydrolytic cleavage of ester bonds, so that one enantiomer in the mixture is hydrolyzed. Preparation of enantiomerically pure tertiary beta -hydroxycarboxylic acids of formula (I; Q = H) or (II; Q = H) or esters of formula (I; Q = R5) or (II; Q = R5) involves contacting an enantiomer mixture of the esters (I; Q = R5) and (II; Q = R5) in an aqueous medium with an enzyme causing hydrolytic cleavage of ester bonds, so that one enantiomer in the mixture is hydrolyzed. R , R = aryl, heteroaryl, 2-18C alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, aralkyl, heteroaralkyl, aralkenyl, heteroaralkenyl, alkoxyalkyl, alkoxyalkenyl, aryloxyalkyl, aryloxyalkenyl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkylalkyl or cycloalkylalkenyl (all optionally substituted), R and R being different; CR R = 3-8C cycloalkylidene (optionally substituted and optionally containing a heteroatom); R , R = (hetero)aryl, alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, (hetero)aralkyl, (hetero)aralkenyl, alkoxyalkyl, alkoxyalkenyl, aryloxyalkyl, aryloxyalkenyl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkylalkyl or cycloalkylalkenyl (all optionally substituted); CR R = 3-8C cycloalkylidene (optionally substituted and optionally containing a heteroatom); Q = H or R ; R = alkyl or alkenyl (both optionally substituted); Alkyl moieties have 1-18C, alkenyl or alkynyl moieties 2-18C, cycloalkyl moieties 3-8C and aryl or heteroaryl moieties 3-18C.