Disclosed is a process for the production of acids of the formula ##STR1## wherein R is 2-fluoro-4-(1,1'-biphenyl), 4-(2-methylpropyl)phenyl, 6-methoxy-2-napthyl, 3-benzophenyl, 4-(2-thienylcarbonyl)-phenyl or 7-chlorocarbazole-3-yl which comprises contacting an organometallic compound of the formula R--M--R.sub.1 (G) with an allyl halide of the formula ##STR2## to produce an olefin of the formula ##STR3## ozonolysis of the olefin (II) to produce an aldehyde of the formula ##STR4## which is oxidized either directly to the acid (IV) or via a bisulfite adduct of the formula ##STR5##
The present patent application is the national patent application of PCT patent application 86/01275 filed 6-10-86, which is a continuation-in-part patent application of co-pending patent application Ser. No. 844,715 filed 3-27-86, now abandoned, which was a continuation-in-part patent application of co-pending patent application Ser. No. 754,864 filed 7-12-85, now abandoned.
This invention relates to a process for preparing optically active carboxylic acids by oxidizing an optically active aldehyde with a peracid in the presence of an amine and/or amine N-oxide catalyst selected from the group consisting of a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl amine, alkyl amine N-oxide, aromatic amine, aromatic amine N-oxide, heterocyclic amine, heterocyclic amine N-oxide and mixtures thereof, to produce the optically active carboxylic acid. Such optically active carboxylic acids have utility for example as pharmaceuticals.
