SYNTHESIS OF ENANTIOMERICALLY PURE BICYCLIC CONDENSED DELTA-LACTONES VIA MICROBIAL REDUCTION AND ENZYMIC RESOLUTION STRATEGIES

The formation of enantiopure delta-lactones condensed with alicyclic rings has been achieved either by reduction with baker's yeast of the corresponding delta-keto esters and delta-keto acids or by enzymic resolution of the former compounds. The absolute configurations of the lactones were determined by means of CD spectroscopy, using the correlation method.