Rhodococcus erythropolis А-27 as a Biocatalyst for Enantioselective Reduction of Ketones in the Presence of High Concentrations of Isopropanol

It has been shown that, in the presence of the cells of five strains of Rhodococcus erythropolis, isolated from various anthropogenically polluted ecosystems, and an exogenous reducing agent (isopropanol), enantioselective reduction of ketones (acetophenone and 6-methyl-5-hepten-2-one) occurs with the formation of the corresponding S-configuration alcohols with high enantiomeric excess. Using the most active strain of R. erythropolis A-27 at the optimal concentration of isopropanol, products (S-1-phenylethanol and S-6-methyl-5-hepten-2-ol) were obtained with an enantiomeric excess of at least 99.9% and a yield of 92 and 93%, respectively. This strain was found to be tolerant to isopropanol and could effectively reduce 6-methyl-5-hepten-2-one to S-6-methyl-5-hepten-2-ol in a buffer containing 50% isopropanol.