Biocatalytic reduction of prochiral ketones using freshly ripened clementine mandarin (Citrus reticulata) in aqueous medium is reported. High enantioselectivities were observed, especially for the bioreduction of indanone , tetralone , and thiochromanone with respectively 95%, 99%, and 86% enantiomeric excess (ee). Enantioselective bio- and metal-catalyzed reactions were compared. Chiral ruthenium catalysts afforded good asymmetric inductions (>75% ee) in most cases, enantiomeric excesses depending on the nature of substrate and ligand. N-aminoindanol prolinamide was revealed as the best ligand for most ketones. Interestingly, for several substrates both enantiomers could be obtained using either Citrus reticulata or ruthenium complex.
Keywords: Citrus reticulate; asymmetric transfer hydrogenation; bioreduction; heteroaryl alcohols; ruthenium.
© 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.