EFFECT OF HIGH HYDROSTATIC-PRESSURE AND HIGH-PRESSURE HOMOGENIZATION ON THE ENANTIOSELECTIVITY OF MICROBIAL REDUCTIONS

The effect of high hydrostatic pressure and high pressure homogenizati on on the microbial reductions of the model prochiral ketones 1 a-c is described. Various strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Yarrowia l ipolytica are utilized in the reduction and higher enantioselectivitie s are generally achieved together with lower yields compared with the results obtained at atmospheric pressure. In some cases both increasin g yields and inversion of enantioselectivity are reported. The effects of the hydrostatic and the homogenization pressure are also compared with the cell viability. Copyright (C) 1996 Elsevier Science Ltd