Preparing an optically pure (7S)-3,4-dimethoxybicyclo[4.2.0]octa-1,3,5-triene-7-
carboxylic acid compound (I), comprises enantioselective enzymatically esterifying a racemic acid or 3,4-dimethoxybicyclo[4.2.0]octa-1,3,5-triene-7-
carboxylic acid (a), using a
lipase or
esterase, in a mixture of an
alcohol and an organic cosolvent, at a temperature of 25-40[deg] C, where (a) is not pure, has a concentration of 5-500 g / l, and has an
enzyme / substrate (E / S) ratio of 10 / 1:1 / 100. Preparing an optically pure (7S)-3,4-dimethoxybicyclo[4.2.0]octa-1,3,5-triene-7-
carboxylic acid compound (I), comprises enantioselective enzymatically esterifying a racemic acid or 3,4-dimethoxybicyclo[4.2.0]octa-1,3,5-triene-7-carboxylic acid (a), using a
lipase or
esterase, in a mixture of an
alcohol of formula (ROH) and an organic cosolvent, at a temperature of 25-40[deg] C, where (a) is not pure, has a concentration of 5-500 g / l, and has an
enzyme / substrate (E / S) ratio of 10 / 1:1 / 100. R : linear or branched 1-6C-
alkyl, preferably methyl. Independent claims are included for: (1) process-II for preparing an optically pure compound of formula (S)3,4-dimethoxy-bicyclo[4.2.0]octa-1,3,5-triene-7-carboxylic acid compound of formula (II) by enantioselective
enzymatic hydrolysis of the racemic ester or ester compound of formula (b) using the
lipase or
esterase, in water and in a
buffer solution of pH 5-8 or in a mixture of
organic solvent and water or buffer at a temperature of 25-40[deg] C, where (b) is not pure, and has E / S ratio of 10 / 1:1 / 100; and (2) process-III for preparing ((S)-3,4-dimethoxy-bicyclo[4.2.0]octa-1,3,5-trien-7-ylmethyl)-methyl-amine compound (III) comprising either hydrolyzing 3,4-dimethoxy-bicyclo[4.2.0]octa-1,3,5-triene-7-carbonitrile (IV) to form (a), enzymatically esterifying (a) to form (I), converting (I) into an optically pure (S)-3,4-dimethoxy-bicyclo[4.2.0]octa-1,3,5-triene-7-carboxylic acid
methylamide amide (c) and reducing (c), or hydrolyzing (IV) to form (a), alkylating (a) to form (b), enzymatically hydrolyzing (b) to obtain (II), converting (II) into (c), and reducing (c). [Image].