pH DEPENDENT OXIDATION-REDUCTION OF 1-BENZENESULFENYL-2-PROPANONE AND ITS OXIDES BY A MICROORGANISM
Incubation of 1-benzenesulfenyl-2-propanone with Corynebacterium equi IFO 3730 in a weakly acidic medium afforded (S)-1-benzenesulfenyl-2-propanol. On the contrary, when the cultivation was carried out at pH 8 with the same bacterium, only the (S)-alcohol was transformed into the starting ketone, the (R)-alcohol being recovered intact. The similar enantioselectivities were also observed in the reaction of 1-benzenesulfinyl-2-propanone.