| abstract |
The description relates to a process for producing optically active hydroxamic acids of the general formula (I) in which R<1>, R<2> and R<3> are different and represent a cyclic or linear, aliphatic or aromatic, substituted or unsubstituted hydrocarbon radical which may contain hetero-atoms, characterised in that a racemate of chiral amides, carboxylic acid esters or caboxylic acids of the general formula (II) in which R<1>, R<2> and R<3> are defined as above and X is -NH2, -OR or -OH, R being any organic radical, is reacted with hydroxyl amine NH2OH in the presence of an acyl transferase and the optically active hydroxamic acid (I) thus produced is separated from the unreacted enantiomer of the general formula (II). The optically active hydroxamic acid thus obtained can be converted to the corresponding optically primary amines by Lossen transposition. |