| abstract |
PURPOSE:A microorganism selected from Micrococcus, capable of asymmetrically hydrolyzing epoxides, is allowed to act on an epoxide bearing aromatic rings to give an optically active epoxide, which is used as a medicine or agricultural chemical. CONSTITUTION:A microorganism capable of asymmetrically hydrolyzing epoxides, selected from the group consisting of Micrococcus, Arthrobacter, Micobacterium, Corynebacterium, Rhodococcus, Nocardia and Brevibacterium is allowed to act on a starting epoxide bearing aromatic rings such as styrene oxide, o-, m-, or p-chlorostyrene oxide. The cell bodies which are previously proliferated by culture may be brought into contact with the starting substance, or the microorganism may be cultured in another medium together with the starting substance. The optically active epoxide formed in the culture mixture is separated by a well-known method. |