ASYMMETRIC REDUCTION BY EFFECTIVE USE OF BAKERS-YEAST - PREPARATIONS OF OPTICALLY PURE HYDROXY-ACIDS AND 1,2-DIOL DERIVATIVES

Preparations of optically pure short- to long-chain beta-, gamma-, and delta-hydroxy acids with R configuration, alpha-methyl-beta-hydroxy acids with anti-2 R, 3 R configuration, 1,2-alkanediols with R configuration, and 1-acetoxy-2-alkanols with S configuration are described, by use of asymmetric reduction of the corresponding keto compounds with baker's yeast. The high optical purity of the products is attributable to the carboxy group in the keto acids and to the substrate specificity of the enzymes involved in the reductions, based on comparison of the keto acids and keto esters as substrates and isolation of the reducing enzymes from baker's yeast.