Enzyme-catalysed enantioselective hydrolysis of racemic naproxen nitrile.

The bacterial strain Rhodococcus butanica (ATCC 21197), which exhibits nitrilase and nitrile hydratase/amidase activities, catalyses the enantioselective hydrolysis of racemic naproxen nitrile (R/S)-1 to furnish a moderate enantiomeric excess of (S)-naproxen (S)-3. Racemic naproxen amide (R/S)-2 is not a good substrate for this strain. Resting cells of the newly selected bacterial strain Rhodococcus sp. C3II catalyse the enantioselective hydrolyses of racemic naproxen nitrile (R/S)-1 and naproxen amide (R/S)-2 as well, to give (S)-3 in excellent optical (99% e.e.) and good chemical yields in aqueous medium and in the biphasic system of phosphate buffer/hexane.