BIOCHEMICAL PRODUCTION OF OPTICALLY ACTIVE 4-HYDROXY-2-CYCLOPENTENONE

PURPOSE:To obtain the titled cyclopentenone useful for antiulcer action, thrombolytic action, etc., at a low cost in simple equipment, by reacting an ester of a specific compound with an esterase derived from a microorganism of the genus Achromobacter, etc. CONSTITUTION:A microorganism, e.g. the genus Achromobacter or Candida, capable of asymmetrically hydrolyzing an organic carboxylic acid ester of a racemic 4-hydroxy-2-cyclopentenone expressed by the formula (R is 1-18C alkyl, 2-18C alkenyl or 2-18C alkenyl) and producing optically active 4- hydroxy-2-cyclopentenone is cultivated to give a culture. The resultant culture, etc., is then added to a 0.1-5wt% solution of the above-mentioned racemic cyclopentenone ester to carry out asymmetric hydrolysis reaction at 10-70 deg.C and 6-10 pH within 10hr and the reaction solution is then subjected to treatment, e.g. fractional distillation, etc., to separate and recover the aimed optically active 4-hydroxy-2-cyclopentenone.