Abstract: This invention provides optically active compounds which are starting materials of physiologically active substances, functional materials and the like, and the compounds are represented by the general formula (I): ##STR1## wherein R.sup.1 is hydrogen or alkanoyl of 2-20 carbon atoms, R.sup.2 is alkyl of 1-40 carbon atoms, alkenyl of 1-40 carbon atoms, or alkynyl of 1-40 carbon atoms in which the alkyl, alkenyl or alkynyl moiety is possible to have phenyl, cyclohexyl, pyridyl, pyrimidyl, pyridadyl, pyrazyl, dioxyl, bicyclooctyl, or a substituent thereof, or halogen, cyanogen, oxygen, nitrogen, silicon or sulfur, and X is a protective group removable by a chemical method of organic synthesis and C* is an asymmetric carbon.

Abstract: An ester is caused to act on a 2-substituted-3-hydroxycarboxylic acid ester as a racemate in the presence of hydrolase under substantially anhydrous conditions to effect a transesterification resulting in the resolution.The compound thus resolved is converted to an optically active 2,6-cis-2,5,6-substituted-1,3-dioxan-4-one and the resulting compound is recrystallized to give optically active 5,6-anti-2,5,6-substituted-1,3-dioxan-4-one and 5,6-syn-2,5,6-substituted-1,3-dioxan-4-one. Thus an optically active compound having plural chiral centers.Further, an optically active 2,5,6-substituted-1,3-dioxan-4-one obtained by transesterification and recrystallization is reacted with an alcohol to produce an optically active 2-substituted-3-hydroxycarboxylic acid ester.

Abstract: A novel optically active erythro-1-alkanoyloxy-2,4-O-isopropylidene-2,4-dihydroxy-5-substituted pentane expressed by the formula ##STR1## wherein R.sup.1 represents a halogen atom or cyano group and R.sup.2 represents an alkyl group of 1 to 6 carbon atoms, and a process for producing the above compound are provided, the compound being preferably usable as an intermediate for preparing a HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor and the process being practiced under mild conditions and with a high yield.

Abstract: The present invention provides an optically active 4-substituted-2-hydroxybutanoate represented by the general formula: ##STR1## wherein X is Cl, Br, I or Cn, R is alkyl, and * shows an asymmetric carbon.The compounds which are useful as starting materials for medical agents, are obtained by a process comprising ring-opening optically active .alpha.-hydroxy-.gamma.-butyrolactone and esterifying the compound obtained.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for producing optically active 3-substituted-2-norbornanones which are useful as starting materials for several kinds of physiologically active materials, and to their intermediates, optically active 2-hydroxy-2-norbornanecarboxylic acid and to a method for producing these intermediates.

Abstract: An attempt was made to increase the film thickness of at least a portion of word lines over which a storage node electrode of the capacitor for storing charges extends in a DRAM having word lines, bit lines and memory cells comprising one transistor and one stacked capacitor for charge storage. This increases the surface area of the storage node electrode. This also increases the opposing areas of the storage node electrode and the cell plate electrode of the capacitor for storing charges. This invention realizes the increase in the surface area of the storage node electrode without imposing additional burden on processibility.

Abstract: An optically active alcohol of this invention is obtained from a process using an enzyme having the ability to conduct preferentially a transesterification reaction with a triglyceride and an (R,S)-alcohol represented by a general formula: ##STR1## wherein X indicates alkyl group having a carbon number of 2-10, Y indicates alkyl group having a carbon number of 1-3, CF.sub.3 or CN, and X.noteq.Y. In this process, the (R,S)-alcohol of the above formula (1) and the triglyceride are reacted under substantially anhydrous conditions. The obtained ester is resolved and the optically active alcohol which contains richly either R- or S-alcohol is produced the optically active alcohol is efficiently obtained by an industrially advantageous biochemical method.

Abstract: The invention provides a process for producing an optically active .alpha.-hydroxyester by a biochemical method, and the process comprises reacting an ester with a racemic compound in the presence of a lipase to obtain the following compound which are useful for starting materials for physiological active materials, functional materials and the like. ##STR1## wherein R is alkyl of 1-5 carbon atoms, A is alkyl of 1-20 carbon atoms, perfluorophenyl, 2-phenylethyl or a specific phenyl group.

Abstract: A liquid crystal compound having specific features suitable to use for a display mode utilizing ferroelectric liquid crystals, particularly a large spontaneous polarization value and a liquid crystal composition using the compound are provided, which compound is an optically active liquid crystalline compound of the formula ##STR1## wherein l and m each are 0 or 1; at least one of R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 is an optically active alkoxy group of the formula ##STR2## wherein R.sup.3 is 2 or 3C alkyl and R.sup.4 is 3-18C alkyl, but R.sup.3 .noteq.R.sup.4 and the other thereof is 1-20C alkyl, alkoxy or alkanoyloxy, halogen or cyano; and A is a specified two or three rings compound.

Abstract: The invention relates to optically active alkyl 3-aryl-3-hydroxypropionates represented by the general formula: ##STR1## wherein R.sup.1, R.sup.2, R.sup.3, R.sup.4 and R.sup.5 are hydrogen, hydroxyl, alkoxy of 1-4 carbon atoms, benzyloxy, flurorine, chlorine or bromine and R.sup.6 is alkyl, and a method for producing the above compounds.

Abstract: Indazole-3-carboxylic acid derivatives represented by the following general formula (I) and their physiologically acceptable acid addition salts or quaternary ammonium salts, ##STR1## are useful as a potent and selective antagonist of serotonin 3 (5-HT.sub.3) receptor. Also disclosed are compounds of the formula ##STR2## which are useful as intermediates in the production of the disclosed final product compounds.

Abstract: The invention provides an optically active compound which is R- or S- ester having the general formula: ##STR1## wherein R.sup.1 is hydrogen or acyl of 2-20 carbon atoms, R.sup.2 is alkyl, alkenyl or alkynyl of 3-40 carbon atoms, and the carbon indicated by * is an asymmetric carbon atom.

Abstract: A novel phenylpyrimidinecarboxylate derivative which, when used as a component of liquid crystal compositions, can raise the clearing point of the mesomorphic range of the liquid crystal compositions and/or increase the dielectric anisotropy value of the compositions, and a liquid crystal compositions containing the derivative are provided, which derivative is expressed by the formula ##STR1## wherein X.sup.1 represents an alkyl or alkoxy each of 1-10 C; X.sup.2 represents a 4-substituted phenylk having an alkyl, of 1-10 C, F, Cl, Br or --CN at 4-position or a 3,4-disubstituted phenyl having F, Cl, Br or Cn at 4-position and F, Cl or Br at 3-position; and L represents a N atom and M represents a C atom.

Abstract: Optically active cyclopentenols are here disclosed which are represented by the formula (I) ##STR1## (wherein R is a hydrogen atom or an acyl group having 2 to 15 carbon atoms, and the sign * denotes a chiral carbon atom).The optically active cyclopentenols can be prepared by a process which comprises the step of carrying out a transesterification between (.+-.

Abstract: An optically active monoester of the formula of ##STR1## where R is C.sub.1 -C.sub.15 alkyl is disclosed. The monoester is produced by transesterification of cis-endo-bicyclo [2,2,2] oct-5-ene-2,3-dimethanol with a fatty acid alkyl or vinyl ester, or triglyceride by using an esterase.

Abstract: The invention provides a method for producing an optically active hydroxy lactone which comprises reacting under substantially anhydrous conditions and in the presence of an enzyme an ester and a racemic compound represented by the general formula (I): ##STR1## wherein n is 0 or 1, any one of R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 is a hydroxy group, and R.sup.2 =R.sup.3 =H or R.sup.2 =R.sup.3 =CH.sub.3 when R.sup.1 is the hydroxy group, and R.sup.1 =R.sup.3 =H when R.sup.2 is the hydroxy group, to effect a transesterification reaction, and resolving to an optically active alcohol which has R- or S-configuration and the ester of the symmetric alcohol.

Abstract: An optically active compound having a high twistability and almost no change in the intrinsic pitch depending on temperature, and a liquid crystal composition comprising the compound are provided, which optically active compound is expressed by the formula ##STR1## wherein R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 each represent 1-20C alkyl or alkoxy, halogen or H; l, m and n each represent 0 or 1; and ##STR2## wherein Y represents H, halogen or cyano.

Abstract: An indazole-3-carboxylic acid derivative represented by the following general formula (I) or its physiologically acceptable acid addition salt or quaternary ammonium salt, ##STR1## wherein Y represents --NH-- or --O--; R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 are identical or different and each represents a hydrogen atom, a lower alkyl group, a substituted lower alkyl group, a cycloalkyl group, a lower alkenyl group, a cycloalkenyl group, a lower alkynyl group, an unsubstituted or substituted aryl-lower alkyl group, a lower alkoxycarbonyl group, an unsubstituted or substituted aralkyloxycarbonyl group or an acyl group, or R.sub.1 and R.sub.2, taken together, form a lower alkylene group; R.sub.3 represents a hydrogen atom, a lower alkyl group, or a phenyl group; R.sub.

Abstract: The present invention provides a process for producing optically active compounds by a biochemical method in which specific compounds having pyridine skeletons and hydroxyl groups are reacted with esters in the presence of hydrolases.The compounds have the following general formula: ##STR1## wherein X is selected from substituted pyridyl groups. Y is selected from hydrogen and halogen atoms, a cyano group, and a trifluoromethyl group. R is an alkylene group having 1-20 carbon atoms, and n is 0 or 1. Q is an alkylene group having 1-20 carbon atoms and m is 0 or 1.

Abstract: A novel optically active pyridylethanol derivative having a high twistability and also a superior temperature characteristic is provided, which derivative is expressed by the formula ##STR1## wherein R is an alkyl group of alkoxy group each of 1 to 20 carbon atoms or hydrogen atom, m and n each represent 0 or 1, ##STR2## each independently represent ##STR3## wherein Y is any one of H, halogen atom or CN and ##STR4## is a pyridine ring the N atom of which may be present at an optionally chosen site thereof.