Reduction of benzaldehyde and substituted benzaldehydes with actively fermenting baker's .

yeast afforded optically active l-arylpropane-l,2-diols in fairly good yields, as well as benzylic alcohols. It was revealed that benzaldehydes substituted with electron-withdrawi ng groups, which were previously reported to result only corresponding benzylic alcohols, were al so reduced to give propanediol compounds in moderate yields. The reaction was shown to be highly di astereo-selective for erythro diols (>97% d.e). The optical purities of the erythro isomers (\R,2S ) were also extremely high ( >97% e.e.), and single recrystallization of dibenzoates