The screening of 144 microbial strains yielded several suitable biocatalyst
s for the asymmetric bioreduction of an allylic ketosulfone to its correspo
nding (R)-alcohol. The production of the desired enantiomer with elevated o
ptical purity (ee > 90%) was achieved by the yeast strain Candida magnoliae
MY 1785. The enantiocomplementary chiral reduction, the production of the
(S)-alcohol, was also achieved when employing other microbial strains. The
production of preparative amounts (about 2.5 g) of the (R)-enantiomer with
elevated optical purity (ee > 90%) was completed when employing the yeast s
train Candida magnoliae.