Biphenyl alcohols active esters

Arylpropionic acids are important class of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID). Their pharmacological activity is mainly in one of both enantiomers. Thus, efforts had been made to access to the enantiomerically pure substance. The kinetic resolution of racemic 2-(2-fluoro-4-biphenyl) propanoic acid 56 and 2(4-isobutylphenyl) propanoic acid 59 (Ibuprofen) was performed via enzymatic esterification and transesterification using an alcohol and vinyl acetate, respectively in a membrane reactor. The unreacted acid is obtained in highly enantiomerically enriched form. A consecutive approach consisting of the enzymatic hydrolysis of the resulted esters is needed to achieve the alcohol in optically pure form.77... 

Replacement of the normal pyrethroid ester by alternative linkages usually leads to diminution of biological activity. One important exception to this general phenomena is several oxime ether derivatives, in particular, 3-phenoxybenzyl derivatives of various alkyl aryl ketones. Pyrethroid esters derived from certain 2-substituted-[1,1 -biphenyl]-3-methanols have been shown to possess initial and residual activity surpassing that of esters derived from 3-phenoxybenzyl alcohol. Now it has been demonstrated that the same enhancement of activity was observed for alkyl aryl oxime ethers of certain [1,1 -biphenyl]-3-methanols compared to the corresponding 3-phenoxybenzyl alcohol derived oximes. The synthesis, biological activity, including soil activity, structure-activity relationships and toxicity of several of these biphenylmethyl oxime ethers are described. 

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