Abstract: The invention relates to a process for the preparation of (4-hydroxy-6-oxo-tetrahydro-pyran-2-yl)-acetonitrile from 6-X-substituted-methyl-4-hydroxy-tetrahydro-pyran-2-one, wherein X stands for a leaving group, by reacting 6-X-substituted-methyl-4-hydroxy-tetrahydro-pyran-2-one with a cyanide ion in water and by subsequent lowering of the pH to a pH between 0 and 5. (4-hydroxy-6-oxo-tetrahydro-pyran-2-yl)-acetonitrile and other compounds obtainable from (4-hydroxy-6-oxo-tetrahydro-pyran-2-yl)-acetonitrile may suitably be used in the preparation of a pharmaceutical preparation, more in particular in the preparation of statins, more in particular in the preparation of Atorvastatine or a salt thereof, for instance its calcium salt. The invention also relates to (4-hydroxy-6-oxo-tetrahydro-pyran-2-yl)-acetonitrile and other compounds obtainable therefrom.

Abstract: The invention relates to isolated polypeptides with hydantoin recemase activity, that do not suffer from substrate inhibition. Such polypeptides arc for instance isolated polypeptides with at least 87% idcntity with SEQ ID: NO. 2 or SEQ ED: NO. 4. The invention also relates to nucleic acid sequences encoding these polypeptides. The invention also relates to processes for the racemisation of enantiomerically enriched hydantoin compounds and to processes for the preparation of enantiomarically enriched I)-or I-? amino acids.

Abstract: The invention relates to mutated penicillin acylases having a high synthesis/hydrolysis ratio in comparison with wild-type penicillin acylases and at least 1% of the activity. The invention also relates to a process for the enzymatic preparation of a ?-lactam antibiotic from a ?-lactam nucleus and an activated side chain with the aid of mutated penicillin acylases.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for the production of acyloxy acetaldehydes of formula (I), wherein R can represent an alkyl, aryl, heteroaryl, alkalyl, aklylheteroaryl or aralkyl radical which has been optionally substituted once or several times or a heterocycle or alkyl heterocycle which has been substituted once or several times, by reacting a compound of formula (II), wherein R has the meaning previously defined and M can be an alkali or alkaline earth atom, in an appropriate solvent with a compound of formula (III), wherein R1 and R2 independently represent a C1-C6-alkyl radical or together represent a C2-C6-alkyl radical and X represents a halogen atom, whereupon the correspondingly formed dialkylacetal of formula (IV), wherein R, R1 and R2 have the previously described meaning, undergoes acetal cleavage to obtain the desired acyloxy acetaldehyde of formula (I).