Microbiological transformations—XII: Microbiological reduction of racemic 1-(2',2',3'-trimethyl-cyclopent-3'-en-1'-yl)propan-2-one and 1-(2',2',3'-trimethyl-cyclopent-3'-en-1'-yl)butan-2-one by rhodotorula mucilaginosa

The microbiological reduction of (±)-l-(2',2',3'-trimethylcyclopent-3'-en-l'-yl)-propan-2-one (4) and (±)-1-(2',2',3'-trimethylcyclopent-3'-en-l'-yl)-butan-2-one (5) by Rhodotorula mucilaginosa was investigated. Both enantiomers of 4 are reduced stereospecifically to corresponding alcohols; (+)-(2S, l'R)-(2',2',3'-trimethylcyclopent-3'-en-l'-yl)-propan-2-ol (6) and (-)-(2S,l'S)-(2',2',3'-trimethylcyclopent-3'-en-l'-yl)-propan-2-ol (7). p ]The substrate selectivity in the reduction of 5 was observed: R enantiomer of 5 yields stereospecifically (+)-(2S,1'R)-(2',2',3'-trimethylcyclopent-3'-en-l'-yl)-butan-2-ol (8) while S(-)5 remains unchanged.