Stereoisomerically-enriched cyanomethyl esters are prepared by treating a non-symmetrical ketene or an alpha-chiral carboxylic acid halide or reactive derivative thereof with an optically-active alphahydroxynitrile. Certain optically-active optionally substituted S-alphacyano-3-phenoxybenzyl alcohol intermediates are prepared by treating the corresponding aldehyde of ketone with a source of hydrogen cyanide in the presence of a substantially water-immiscible, aprotic solvent and a cyclo(D-phenylalanyl-D-histidine) as a catalyst.
通过将非对称酮或α-手性
羧酸卤化物或其活性衍
生物与具有光学活性的α-羟腈进行处理,可制备立体异构体富集的
氰甲基酯。某些具有光学活性的任选取代的 S-alphacyano-
3-苯氧基苄醇中间体的制备方法是:在基本上不溶于
水的
壬烷溶剂和作为催化剂的环(D-苯丙
氨酰-
D-组氨酸)存在下,用
氰化氢源处理相应的酮醛。