Reduction of (+)- and (-)-camphorquinones by cyanobacteria

Reduction of (+)- and (-)-camphorquinones (1a, 1b) by cyanobacteria (Synechococcus elongatus PCC 7942 and Synechosystis sp. PCC 6803) under illumination gave alpha-hydroxycamphor selectively. It was found that (+)-camphorquinone was reduced to give (-)-3S- exohydroxycamphor as major product in high stereoselectivity and the stereoselectivity decreased in the dark. (C) 2004 Elsevier B. V. All rights reserved.