AN ENANTIOSELECTIVE SYNTHESIS OF (1<i>R</i>)-1-HYDROXY-1-PHENYLPROPANONE USING YEASTS <i>PICHIA SP. YAR</i>-52 AND <i>SACCHAROMYCES CEREVISIAE G</i>-22
The conditions for effective biotransformation of benzaldehyde to (1R)-1-hydroxy-1-phenylpropanone using different strains of yeasts are investigated. The maximum yields of the product (45 and 49%) in combination with high enantiomeric purity (99% ee) were obtained with using strains of <i>Saccharomyces cerevisiae</i> G -22 and <i>Pichia sp. </i>YAR -52 in the presence of sucrose as the precursor of pyruvate, pH = 5.0, temperature 30-32 <sup>о</sup>C and portionwise addition of the mixture of benzaldehyde and acetaldehyde to fermenting yeasts.