Biocatalytic Asymmetric Reduction of Ketones Using Designer Cells

Significance

Designer cells have been developed as catalysts for the asymmetric reduction of ketones. Whole-cell catalysts 1 mediate the reduction of carbonyl compounds 2 in the presence of d-glucose to give (R)- or (S)-alcohols 3 in high conversions and excellent enantioselectivities. Both aromatic and aliphatic substrates as well as α-keto esters can be used. Furthermore, one example of a ketone (2a) has been demonstrated to undergo the reduction on a technical scale in good yield and with essentially perfect stereocontrol.