Microbial Reduction of Methyl-substituted Bicyclo[3.2.0]hept-3-en-6-ones : A Screening to Homochiral endo- and exo-Alcohols

Article abstract of DOI:10.1016/0957-4166(95)00445-9

Various yeast and mould strains were tested in the microbial reduction of methyl-substituted bicyclo[3.2.0]hept-3-en-6-ones 1a-c. The endo-alcohols 2a-c were obtained with good yields and enantiomeric excess. Lower yields are described for the exo-alcohols 3a-c which are normally enantiomerically pure. Comparisons with microbial reduction of bicyclo[3.2.0]hept-2-en-6-one 1d and bicyclo[3.3.0]oct-7-en-2-one 1e are also reported.