The Possibility of the Optical Resolution of DL-Phenylalanine by [Cr(L-phe)2(NCS)(OH2)]

Abstract
The reaction of DL-phenylalanine and [Cr(L-phe)2(NCS)-(OH2)](phe = phenylalaninato) in ethanolic solution led to the selective formation of [Cr(L-phe)2(D-phe-N)(OH2)] and fac-(-)5 4 8[Cr(L-phe)3], that is, [Cr(L-phe)2(D-phe - N)(OH2)] was obtained during the heating and [Cr(L-phe)3] was yielded from the filtrate. In the case of L- or D-phenylalanine, fac-(-)5 4 6[Cr(L-phe)3] and [Cr(L-phe)2(D-phe-N)(OH2)] were only obtained, respectively. By using this procedure, the possibility of the optical resolution of DL-phenylalanine was confirmed.