
%0 Journal Article
%A Deol, BS 
%A Ridley, DD 
%A Simpson, GW 
%T Asymmetric reductinon of carbonyl compounds by yeast. II. Preparation of optically active &#945;- and &#946;-hydroxy carboxylic acid derivatives
%J Australian Journal of Chemistry
%D 1976/11/01
%V 29
%N 11
%P 2459-2467
%K 
%R https://doi.org/10.1071/CH9762459
%U https://www.publish.csiro.au/paper/CH9762459 
%X &#945;- and &#946;-Keto esters and amides are readily reduced by an actively fermenting mutant of Saccharomyces cerevisiae and produce optically active &#945;- and &#946;-hydroxy esters and amides in moderate yields. Typically, methyl 2-oxo-2-phenylacetate gave methyl (R)-(-)-2-hydroxy- 2-phenyl- acetate; 2-oxo-2-phenylacetamide gave (R)-(-)-2-hydroxy-2- phenylacetamide; ethyl benzoylacetate gave ethyl (S)-(-)-3-hydroxy-3- phenylpropionate, and ethyl 2-oxocyclohexanecarboxylate gave ethyl (1R,2S)-(+)-2-hydroxycyclohexanecarboxylate. In each case, the product obtained was optically pure. However, the reduction of ethyl pyruvate to ethyl lactate produced partially racemized products. 
