Abstract Preliminary investigation of the resolution potential of baker's yeast reduction of β- keto amides has been carried out with 1-phenylethylamine. Enantiomeric excess was determined by direct comparison of resolved enantiomers with derivatives prepared from commercially available (R)-(+)-1-phenylethylamine and was found to be 56–58.6% for the S enantiomer and 76–84.6% for the R enantiomer.
