Baker's yeast reduction of cyclic δ-ketoesters: synthesis and chiroptical properties of condensed δ-lactones

Abstract

Enantiomerically pure condensed δ-lactones have been prepared from the corresponding δ-ketoesters by the use of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The reactions were not only highly enantioselective but also highly diastereoselective, provided the baker's yeast was preincubated at 50°C for 30 min. Interestingly, and contrary to what is usually found, the use of nutrients inhibited the bioreductions. The relative configurational assignments have been made by means of NMR, while the absolute configurations and conformations of the lactone rings were attributed by means of CD studies.