Abstract: A method for the acylation of the 7-amino group of the cephalosporanic ring, according to which a 7-ACA amino thiazolyl protected adduct is prepared by acylating said amino group by an aminothiazolyl acetic acid whose amino group has been protected by a phenyl acetyl or a phenoxy acetyl group, the amino group being then deprotected by aqueous hydrolysis in the presence of penicillin G amidase or respectively penicillin V amidase.

Abstract: Process for the production of gamma- or delta-lactones according to the general formula: ##STR1## in which R is a saturated, mono-, di- or triunsaturated linear alkyl chain comprising from 2 to 10 carbon atoms and in which R.sub.1 is alkylene comprising 2 or 3 carbon atoms, entailing the operation which consists in culturing, in a substrate comprising a hydroxide or hydroperoxide of linoleic acid or of linolenic acid, of their esters or of their glycerides, or of an oleic acid derivative obtained by the photooxygenation of oleic acid or autoxidation of fats which contain it, a microorganism capable of performing beta-oxidations of said substrate.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a new method of protection of the carboxy group in the chemistry of the compounds of .beta.-lactam type. According to such a method, the carboxy group is protected by being transformed into its corresponding phenyl-acetoxy-methyl ester, which is then removed by an enzymatic route by means of penicillinacylase.In particular, if the .beta.-lactam compound also bears a phenyl-acetamidic substitutent, this latter is simultaneously hydrolysed during the same step of removal of the carboxy function protecting group.

Abstract: The process for the microbiological production of gamma (R) decanolide and/or gamma (R) octanolide involves the culture of a micro-organism selected from the group comprising Aspergillus niger, Cladosporium suaveolens, Phanerochaete chrysosporium and Pichia etchellsii in a culture medium that includes a vegetable oil, particularly castor oil, sunflower oil and coconut oil and their hydrolysates.

Abstract: A process for preparing L-carnitine (I) wherein(a) diketene (II) is reacted with chlorine, and the chlorination product thus obtained is submitted to amidation by the methylester of an optically-active aminoacid, having formula: ##STR1## wherein R=CH.sub.2 A.sub.r or A.sub.

Abstract: A process for preparing .alpha.-L-aspartyl-L-phenylalanine methyl ester: ##STR1## in which: (a) the compound methyl N(.alpha.-L-aspartyl).alpha.-aminocinnamate, protected at the nitrogen, of formula: ##STR2## where R is a protector group at the nitrogen, is subjected to hydrogenation at the olefin bond by means of gaseous hydrogen in the presence of a hydrogenation catalyst, to give the compound of formula: ##STR3## where R has the aforesaid meaning, in the form of a mixture of .alpha.-L-aspartyl-L-phenylalanine methyl ester protected at the nitrogen, and .alpha.-L-aspartyl-D-phenylalanine methyl ester protected at the nitrogen;(b) the protector group is removed from the .alpha.-L-aspartyl-L-phenylalanine and .alpha.-L-aspartyl-D-phenylalanine methyl esters protected at the nitrogen;(c) the .alpha.-L-aspartyl-L-phenylalanine methyl ester is separated and recovered from the deprotection reaction product.