Claims
- 1. A process for preparing an alkylamino acid compound of the formula ##STR29## wherein R.sup.1 is hydrogen or a C.sub.1 -C.sub.18 alkyl or a monovalent cation and R.sup.2 is a moiety of the formula ##STR30## a moiety of the formula ##STR31## wherein each R.sup.3 is a C.sub.1 -C.sub.18 alkyl, or a moiety of the formula ##STR32## wherein each R.sup.4 is H or R.sup.3, comprising contacting a keto compound of the formula (formula II) ##STR33## wherein R.sup.2 is as defined above and R.sup.1 is as defined above, with an amino acid dehydrogenase in the presence of ammonia and a co-factor under conditions suitable for formation of the compound of formula I.
- 2. The process of claim 1 wherein R.sup.1 is hydrogen.
- 3. The process of claim 1 wherein R.sup.1 is lithium.
- 4. The process of claim 1 wherein R.sup.2 is ##STR34##
- 5. The process of claim 1 wherein R.sup.2 is a moiety of the formula wherein R.sup.3 is methyl or wherein R.sup.2 is of the formula ##STR35## wherein R.sup.4 is H or methyl.
- 6. The process of claim 1 wherein said amino acid dehydrogenase is alanine dehydrogenase, phenylalanine dehydrogenase, glutamate dehydrogenase, leucine dehydrogenase, or valine dehydrogenase.
- 7. The process of claim 1 wherein said amino acid dehydrogenase is produced in situ by a microorganism.
- 8. The process of claim 7 wherein said microorganism is Thermoactinomyces sp. or Pichia pastoris or E. Coli.
- 9. The process of claim 1 wherein said co-factor is NADH.
- 10. The process of claim 9 wherein said co-factor is regenerated in situ by an enzyme.
- 11. The process of claim 10 wherein the regenerating enzyme is formate dehydrogenase.
- 12. The process of claim 1 followed by the additional step of reacting compound I with thionyl chloride in a suitable solvent under conditions suitable for formation of a compound of the formula ##STR36## wherein R.sup.5 is a C.sub.1 -C.sub.18 alkyl; or by reacting compound I with chlorotrimethyl silane and dimethyl sulfite in a suitable solvent under conditions suitable for formation of the compound of formula III.
- 13. The process of claim 7 wherein said microorganism is a recombinant cell.
Parent Case Info
This application claims benefit of provisional application Ser. No. 60/092,935 filed Jul. 15, 1998.
US Referenced Citations (1)
Number |
Name |
Date |
Kind |
5508272 |
Robl |
Apr 1996 |
|
Foreign Referenced Citations (2)
Number |
Date |
Country |
919630A1 |
Feb 1999 |
EPX |
WO9848040 |
Oct 1998 |
WOX |