Reduction of aryl acids by white-rot fungi for the biocatalytic productionof aryl aldehydes and alcohols

Ligninolytic basidiomycetes were screened for their ability to reduce aryl acids to the corresponding aldehydes and alcohols. Seven fungal strains con verted p-anisic acid in high molar yields to the reduced products. The whit e-rot fungus Bjerkandera sp, strain BBOS55 was one of the best reducing str ains and was highly tolerant towards high concentrations of different aroma tic acids. It was tested for the reduction of p-anisic, veratric, 3-chloro- 4-methoxybenzoic: 3,5-dichloro-4-methoxybenzoic, 3,4-dichlorobenzoic, 4-flu orobenzoic, and 3-nitrobenzoic acids. All of these compounds were reduced t o their corresponding aldehydes and alcohols.