What is the product of the treatment of a racemic form of dl-phenylalanine with acetic anhydride followed by treatment with deacylase enzyme?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The treatment of dl-phenylalanine with acetic anhydride acetylates the amino group, protecting it from modification. When treated with a deacylase enzyme, typically, these enzymes are stereospecific and will selectively hydrolyze the acetyl group from one enantiomer over the other. Assuming the enzyme used is specific for the acetylated form of the R-enantiomer, it would leave the S-enantiomer (S-phenylalanine) unaffected and hydrolyze the acetyl group from the R-enantiomer, converting it back to R-phenylalanine, which can then be selectively removed or may not be the target product. The question implies that the product of interest is the one not affected by the enzyme, which would be S-phenylalanine, as it remains acetylated and thus protected.

What Is the Product of the Treatment of a Racemic