PURPOSE: To efficiently obtain the subject dicarboxylic acid useful as a raw material for synthesizing medicines, agrochemicals, etc., in high steric selectivity by treating the dicarboxylic acid with microorganisms, etc.
CONSTITUTION: An unsaturated dicarboxylic acid of formula I (R1 is methyl, halogen atom) is treated with microorganisms belonging to the genus Arthrobacter or a product obtained by treating the cells to obtain an optically active dicarboxylic acid of formula II (R2, R3 are H, hydroxy group, but simultaneously are not the same group; when R1 is methyl group, R2 is hydroxyl group). The microorganisms are obtained by culturing preferably Arthrobacter S.P. MC 12612 e.g. in a medium containing glucose as a nutritive source at a pH of 4.0-9.5 and a temperature of 20-40°C for approximately 10-96hr.
ASANO YASUHISA
UEDA MAKOTO
