Stereoselective production of (S)-1-aralkyl- and 1-arylethanols by freshly harvested and lyophilized yeast cells

Substituted (S)-1-phenyl- 2a-h and (S)-2-benzyl-propan-2-ols 4a and b, and (S)-1-phenylethanol 6 were produced from prochiral ketones la-h, 3a,b and 5 by reductions with freshly harvested Zygosaccharomyces rouxii and Debaryomyces hansenii cells. The bioreductions were also performed by lyophilized cells. Comparison of the secondary alcohols from the bioreductions 2b-e,g,h and 4a and authentic (S)-alcohols (S)-2b-e,g,h and (S)-4a synthesized from enantiopure (S)-methyloxirane 7 proved the absolute configuration of the products. (c) 2006 Published by Elsevier Ltd.