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.