ENYMATIC PREPARATION OF OPTICALLY ACTIVE ESSENTIAL AMINO ACIDS

I. THE PREPARATION OF L-PHENYLALANINE

Abstract

1. Phenylpyruvic acid was prepared by decarboxylation of phenyl-oxalacetic acid obtained by heating ethyl phenyloxalacetate with acetic acid and p-toluenesulfonic acid.
2. L-Phenylalanine was obtained from phenylpyruvic acid by heart muscle transaminase in an yield of 64 per cent.