Bioreduction with immobilized bakers' yeast in hexane using alcohols as an energy source

Abstract

Bioreduction with immobilized bakers' yeast proceeded smoothly in hexane by using alcohols, such as methanol, ethanol, and propan-2-ol, instead of glucose, as an energy source; ethyl 3-oxobutanoate and ethyl benzoylformate were each reduced to the corresponding chiral hydroxy esters with a high enantiomeric purity.