| abstract |
PROCEDURE FOR PREPARING OPTICALLY ACTIVE HYDANTOINS, CONVERTING RACEMIC N-CARBAMOIL-A-AMINO ACID INTO OPTICALLY ACTIVE HYDANTOINS, OF GENERAL FORMULA (II), BY MEANS OF A STEREO SELECTIVE ENZYMATIC REACTION. THE BIOCHEMICAL TECHNIQUE IS BASED ON THE FINDING THAT SOME MICROORGANISMS CAN PRODUCE OPTICALLY ACTIVE HIDANTOINS BY A STEREOSELECTIVE CYCLATION REACTION OF N-CARBAMOIL-A-AMINO ACID AS SUBSTRATE. MANY OF THE HYDANTOIN VARIETIES ARE USED AS DRUGS WITH ANTICONVULSIONANT OR ANTIPSYCHOTIC ACTIVITY. ALTHOUGH THEY CAN BE USED IN A RACEMIC FORM, THE OPTICALLY ACTIVE THOSE USUALLY HAVE GREATER ACTIVITY AND FEWER SECONDARY EFFECTS. |