title: Preparation of alkyl (R)-(-)-3-hydroxybutyrate by acidic alcoholysis of poly-(R)-(-)-3-hydroxybutyrate.
abstract: An efficient method for the preparation of optically active alkyl (R)-(-)-3-hydroxybutyrates by chemical depolymerization of biopolymer, poly-(R)-(-)-(3-hydroxybutyrate), was established. This method consists of simple recovery of poly-(R)-(-)-(3-hydroxybutyrate) from bacterial cells followed by acidic alcoholysis. When poly-(R)-(-)-(3-hydroxybutyrate) was purified by a simple digestion method that used 0.2 N sodium hydroxide, alkyl (R)-(-)-hydroxybutyrates were most efficiently produced by alcoholysis with anhydrous hydrochloric acid.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, 373-1 Kusong-dong, Yusong-gu, 305-701, Taejon, South Korea
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Park
authors.initials: IT
authors.lastname: Lim
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Han
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Lee