| abstract |
The present invention relates to a process for preparing optically active cyanohydrins of the formula (II), n n n by reacting an aldehyde of the formula (I) n n n with HCN in a water-immiscible organic solvent in the presence of water, in the absence or presence of a buffer, in the presence of a (R)-hydroxynitrile lyase, where X, Y and Z in formula (II) have the same meaning as in formula (I), independently of each other are identical or different and are H, F, Cl, Br, I, OH, O(C 1 -C 4 -alkyl), OCOCH 3 , NHCOCH 3 , NO 2 or C 1 -C 4 -alkyl. |