Hoffmann-La Roche Inc.

Hans G Leuenberger

Reinhard Zell

Walter Boguth

Erich Widmer

Hans Johann Mayer

Richard Barner

Max Schmid

Emil A Broger

Dieter Seebach

Yvo Crameri

Peter Karl Matzinger

Max F Zuger

The manufacture of optically active compounds of the formula ##STR1## wherein R.sup.1 signifies alkyl, phenyl or benzyl and R.sup.2 signifies hydrogen or a customary ester residue, by the fermentative reduction of compounds of the formula ##STR2## wherein R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 have the above significance. The compounds obtained are valuable intermediates in organic syntheses.

Process to produce alpha-substituted derivatives of 3-hydroxypropionic

A process for asymmetrically hydrogenating through the use of microorganisms a double bond connected to tertiary carbon atom in an olefinic aliphatic compound to produce a tertiary, optically active aliphatic compound useful as an intermediate for optically active Vitamins E and K.

Process for the manufacture of tertiary, optically active aliphatic

The compound 6-hydroxy-3-(5-hydroxy-3-methyl-1,3-pentadienyl)-2,4,4-trimethyl-2-cyclohe xen-1-one useful as intermediate for producing the natural coloring agent astaxanthin as well as a method for synthesizing astaxanthin from this compound and synthesizing the compound from 2-hydroxyketo isophorone.

Process for the manufacture of cyclohexene derivatives

A process for fermentatively hydrogenating and reducing ketoisophorone to produce optically active [4R,6R]-4-hydroxy-2,6,6-trimethyl-cyclohexanone useful as an intermediate in the production of optically active carotenoids and intermediates in the production of these carotenoids.

Optically active cyclohexane derivatives

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Arlesheim, Switzerland

Hans G Leuenberger