STEREOCONTROLLED SYNTHESIS OF P-SUBSTITUTED TRIFLUOROMETHYLBENZYLIC ALCOHOL DERIVATIVES OF HIGH OPTICAL PURITY BY THE BAKERS-YEAST REDUCTION

The enantioselectivity of the bakers' yeast reduction of p-substituted trifluoroacetylbenzene derivatives could be improved by the introduction of some functional groups at the para-position to give the corresponding (R)-trifluoromethyl-substituted benzylic alcohols in high chemical and optical yields. The optically active alcohols obtained were readily converted into optically pure forms by recrystallization.