ABSTRACT
Incorporation of green methodology via biocatalytic and electrochemical steps using Baker’s Yeast and electrons as reducing agent respectively have been employed as a novel and efficient route to furnish relevent chiral building blocks for fine chemicals and pharmaceuticals. Reduction of selected ketones such as 2-methylcyclohexanone, 3-methylcyclohexanone, 4-methylcyclohexanone and ethyl-2-oxocyclopentanecarboxylate have been carried out by biotransformation (using whole cells of Baker’s Yeast in their free as well as immobilized form in mixtures of glycerol and water) and via electrochemical method to the corresponding alcohols. Optimum conditions for electrochemical reduction like solvent, supporting electrolyte, reduction potential and pH were determined at glassy carbon electrode employing cyclic voltammetric technique. The effect of scan rate, pH were also studied. The electrochemical reduction was carried out at constant current using stainless steel (SS-316) electrodes. The products obtained were purified & then the results of both reduction routes (biocatalytic & electrochemical) were compared and then characterized by spectroscopic techniques.