Abstract α-Methyl-α-(trifluoromethylphenyl) malonic acids have been incubated with Alcaligenesbronchisepticus to afford optically active α-arylpropionic acids. Generally, the chemical and optical yields of the reaction products were higher when the substituents on the aromatic ring were strongly electron-withdrawing. Decarboxylation of α-fluoro-α- phenylmalonic acid with the aid of the same bacterium afforded optically active α-fluoro-α- ...
