PRODUCTION OF OPTICALLY ACTIVE CARBOXYLIC ACID AND ITS ANTIPODE ESTER

PURPOSE:To efficiently separate the subject compound from a reactional system and purify the compound because of a low elusion of proteins from a catalyst into the reactional system by asymmetrically hydrolyzing a carboxylate ester with a specific immobilized vital catalyst. CONSTITUTION:A carboxylate ester of formula I (R1 is alkyl, aryl, etc.; R2, R3 are alkyl; (n) is 1, 2) (e.g. beta-acetylthio-alpha-methylpropionic acid methyl ester) is treated with an immobilized vital catalyst to provide the objective compound of formula II, the immobilized vital catalyst being produced by treating bacterial cells with a multifunctional crosslinking agent, and the bacterial cells having an ability to asymmetrically hydrolyze the ester bond. The bacterial cells asymmetrically hydrolyzing the ester bond is preferably Pseudomonas putida MR-2068 strain (FERN P-3846), etc. The multifunctional agent includes glutar aldehyde. The hydrolysis reaction is preferably performed at >=45 deg.C for 4-15hrs.