The bioreduction of α-methyleneketones, R1C ( O) C ( CH2) R2 (R1= Me, Et, Pr, iso-Bu, Ph, CH2CH2Ph; R2= Cl, Me, Et, n-Pr, iso-Pr, n-Bu, n-C6H13, Ph, CH2Ph), was mediated by baker's yeast (Saccharomycescerevisiae) to obtain the corresponding α-methylketones. The R1 and R2 groups had a significant influence on the rate and enantioselectivity of the reductions. The rate of C C bond reduction was higher than that of C O bond reduction. ...
[Sakai, Takashi; Matsumoto, Syuji; Hidaka, Syukou; Imajo, Norihisa; Tsuboi, Sadao; Utaka, Masanori Bulletin of the Chemical Society of Japan, 1991 , vol. 64, # 11 p. 3473 - 3475]