Reduction with Yeast Cells, the Key Step of an Efficient Synthesis of (3S, 4S)‐4‐Amino‐3‐hydroxypentanoic Acids

1 can be reduced with high diastereoselectivity and in large amounts by Hansenula anomala. 35 g of the (3S)-alcohol 2 can be obtained with 98% de from 50 g of 1. Compound 1 was obtained from malonate and the imidazolide of the amino acid phenylalanine. Hence, depending on the choice of α-amino acid, almost any desired statine analogue—(3S)-R-CH(NH2)-CH(OH)-CH2-CO2H—should be accessible, which, inter alia, are of interest as components of hypotensive drugs.