Asymmetric Reduction of Nitro Olefins by Fermenting Bakers' Yeast

Article abstract of DOI:10.1021/jo00269a011

Reduction of a number of 1-nitro-1-alkenes by fermenting bakers' yeast has been found to be enantioselective, resulting in the formation of optically active 1-nitroalkanes.In most cases, optical purities of the products determined by HPLC analysis of MTPA amides were as high as 83-98percent ee.The optimum rate of conversion was obtained when the reaction was carried out at pH 8 and low concentration of substrates.The absolute configuration of resulting (+)-1-nitro-2-phenylpropane was determined to be R by comparing the specific rotation with that of an authentic specimen after reductive hydrolysis to the corresponding aldehyde.