Bioconversion of Optically Active Pyridyl Alcohols from the Corresponding Racemates with Plant Cell Cultures.

A novel method for producing optically active pyridyl alcohols from the corresponding racemates was developed. When racemic pyridyl alcohol is incubated with Catharanthus roseus cell cultures, chiral alcohol is obtained in high yield with excellent enantiomeric excess (ee) (deracemization of racemate). Furthermore, the kinetic resolution of racemic pyridyl alcohol via oxidation gave the chiral compound with high ee.