Synthetic applications of the carbonyl reductases isolated from Candida parapsilosis and Rhodococcus erythropolis

Abstract

Synthetic applications of the novel carbonyl reductases isolated from Candida parapsilosis and Rhodococcus erythropolis are reported. A number of different carbonyl compounds such as 3-, 4- and 5-ketoesters, ethyl 4-chloro 3-oxobutanoate, pyruvic aldehyde dimethyl acetal, ethyl α-methyl 3-oxobutanoate and acetophenone are reduced on the preparative scale to the corresponding (S)-hydroxy compounds with high enantiomeric excess (2⪢ 94%) and yield (2⪢ 83%). Product concentrations in the range of 30 to 200 mM were obtained. The synthesized chiral compounds are valuable building blocks for the synthesis of pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals and natural products.