Chemo- and stereo-selective biocatalytic reduction of α,β-unsaturated ketones employing a chemo-tolerant ADH from Rhodococcus ruber DSM 44541

Biocatalytic reduction of the keto-moiety of alpha,beta-unsaturated ketones (enones) was achieved with absolute chemo- and stereo-selectivity employing whole lyophilized cells of Rhodococcus ruber DSM 44541 to furnish the corresponding allylic alcohols in e.e. up to >99%. It was shown that a stereocenter in gamma-position of the ketone moiety to be reduced is too distant from the reaction center to induce any significant diastereoselectivity, thus no kinetic resolution of an racemic ketone occurred. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.