SYNTHETIC APPLICATIONS OF THE CARBONYL REDUCTASES ISOLATED FROM CANDIDA-PARAPSILOSIS AND RHODOCOCCUS-ERYTHROPOLIS

Synthetic applications of the novel carbonyl reductases isolated from Candida parapsilosis and Rhodococcus erythropolis are reported. A number of different carbonyl compounds such as 3-, 4- and 5-ketoesters, ethyl 4-chloro 3-oxobutanoate, pyruvic aldehyde dimethyl acetal, ethyl alpha-methyl 3-oxobutanoate and acetophenone are reduced on the preparative scale to the corresponding (S)-hydroxy compounds with high enantiomeric excess (>> 94%) and yield (>> 83%). Product concentrations in the range of 30 to 200 mM were obtained. The synthesized chiral compounds are valuable building blocks for the synthesis of pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals and natural products.