Water → ethyl (2R)-2-(acetylamino)-3-(3-nitrophenyl)propanoate

Participants

Reaction Steps

A mixture of 2.8 g of ethyl 2-(acetylamino)-3-(3-nitrophenyl)propanoate in 17 cm3 of acetonitrile [lacuna] to which is added 3.95 g of ammonium hydrogen carbonate and 35 cm3 of water at a pH in the region of 8. 0.017 g of type-II α-chymotrypsin is then introduced and the mixture is left stirring at room temperature for 1 hour 15 min, while measuring the pH regularly. After this reaction time, the pH is less than 8, a further 0.017 g of type-II α-chymotrypsin is added and stirring of the reaction medium is continued for 2 hours 45 min. The aqueous phase is extracted with 3 times 50 cm3 of ethyl acetate; the combined organic phases are then dried over sodium sulfate, filtered and evaporated under reduced pressure (2 kPa) at a temperature in the region of 40° C. 1.4 g of ethyl (2R)-2-(acetylamino)-3-(3-nitrophenyl)propanoate are obtained in the form of white crystals melting at 110° C.

Provenance & Evidence