Abstract
Racemic 2-phenylpropionic acid ((±)-1) and 2-benzyloxypropionic acid ((±)-4) were subjected to microbial reduction and simultaneous resolution with several molds, i.e., Malus and Prunus strains of Glomerella cingulata, Gloeosporium olivarum and Gloeosporium laeticolor, yielding (R)-2-phenylpropanol ((R)-2) and (S)-2-benzyloxypropanol ((S)-5), and leaving (R)-2-phenylpropionic acid ((R)-1) and (R)-2-benzyloxypropionic acid ((R)-4), respectively. The microbial reduction of racemic 2-(2-furfuryl) propionic acid ((±)-8) gave optically inactive (±)-2-(2-furfuryl) propanol ((±)-9).
