Pseudomonas gessardii growing cells as a new biocatalyst for asymmetric synthesis of α-bromohydrins

The growing whole cells of bacterial strain, Pseudomonas gessardii provides a highly selective biocatalyst for reduction of phenacyl bromides to generate (S)-2-bromo-1-phenylethan-1-ol derivatives in high enantioselectivity (up to 96% ee). The chiral alcohols were isolated with complete conversion (>99%) employing DMSO as the co-solvent. Effect of various physiochemical parameters on the reduction has been studied. The other α-substitued acetophenones (chloro-, cyano-, and azide-) were reduced their corresponding alcohols with lower enantioselectivity.