Enzyme-Promoted Desymmetrisation of Prochiral Bis(cyanomethyl) Sulfoxide

Prochiral bis(cyanomethyl) sulfoxide has been successfully transformed into the corresponding optically active mono amide and mono acid with en- antiomeric excesses ranging from low (10 %) to very high (up to 99 %) using a broad spectrum of nitrile- hydrolysing enzymes.