Enantioselective oligomerization of alpha-hydroxy carboxylic acids and alpha-amino acids

A composition comprising:

• 4
• R1 is hydrogen, hydrocarbyl or substituted hydrocarbyl,
• R2 is hydrogen, hydrocarbyl, substituted hydrocarbyl, or a hydroxy protecting group,
• R3 is hydrogen, hydrocarbyl or substituted hydrocarbyl,
• each AA is the residue of an α-amino acid or derivative thereof wherein greater than one-half of the AA residues are derived from α-amino acids or derivatives thereof having the an identical chiral configuration, and
• n is at least 2.

A process for providing an animal with a dietary supplement comprising a vitamin, mineral or nutrient, the process comprising:

• preparing a mixture comprising an enzyme and at least one α-amino acid, each α-amino acid being present in the mixture as a free acid, acid halide, amide, ester or anhydride independently of the other,
• forming an α-amino acid oligomer in the mixture,
• coating said vitamin, mineral or nutrient with the α-amino acid oligomer to form an α-amino acid oligomer coated dietary supplement, and
• orally administering the dietary supplement to the animal.

A process for purifying an α-hydroxy carboxylic acid enantiomer or derivative thereof from an enantiomeric mixture, the process comprising:

• forming a reaction mixture comprising (i) an enantioselective enzyme, (ii) an enantiomeric mixture of an α-hydroxy carboxylic acid or a derivative thereof, and (iii) an enantiomeric mixture of an α-amino acid or a derivative thereof;
• forming a reaction product from the reaction mixture, the reaction product comprising (i) an oligomer having a first α-hydroxy carboxylic acid enantiomer of the enantiomeric mixture incorporated therein in preference to the second enantiomer, and (ii) unreacted second enantiomer;
• and
• separating the oligomer and unreacted second enantiomer from the reaction product and each other.

A process for purifying an enantiomeric mixture of α-amino acid or derivative thereof, the process comprising:

• forming a reaction mixture comprising (i) an enzyme, (ii) an enantiomeric mixture of α-amino acid or a derivative thereof, and (iii) an α-hydroxy carboxylic acid or a derivative thereof;
• forming a reaction product from the reaction mixture, the reaction product comprising (i) an oligomer incorporating a first member of the enantiomeric mixture of α-amino acid or derivative thereof in preference to a second enantiomer of the enantiomeric mixture or derivative thereof, and (ii) unreacted second enantiomer;
• and
• separating the oligomer and unreacted second enantiomer from the reaction product and each other.

A process for purifying an α-amino acid enantiomer or derivative thereof in an enantiomeric mixture, the process comprising:

• forming a reaction mixture comprising (i) an enantioselective enzyme and (ii) an enantiomeric mixture of an α-amino acid or derivative thereof;
• forming a peptide reaction product mixture comprising (i) an oligomer or a co-oligomer having a first enantiomer of the enantiomeric mixture incorporated therein in preference to the second enantiomer of the enantiomeric mixture, and (ii) unreacted second enantiomer;
• and
• separating the oligomer or co-oligomer and unreacted second enantiomer from the reaction product mixture and each other