A new chemo-enzymatic route to chiral 2-hydroxy-4-phenylbutyrates by combining lactonase-mediated resolution with hydrogenation over Pd/C.

A new chemo-enzymatic route to both isomers of 2-hydroxy-4-phenylbutyric acid is reported. The key step is the lactonase-catalyzed hydrolysis of cis- and trans-2-hydroxy-4-phenyl-4-butyrolactones followed by hydrogenation over Pd/C to afford optically pure 2-hydroxy-4-phenylbutyric acid.