Arthrobacter simplex dehydrogenation

Immobilized micTOorganisms, in particular Arthrobacter simplex and Nocardia rhodocrous, and fungal spores, in particular those from Septomyxa t finis, can also be used to effect dehydrogenations. Dehydrogenations may also be advantageously carried out in the presence of hydrocarbon solvents, for example the conversion of ba-methylhydrocortisone (62) to 6a-methylpredisolone (63 equation 20) with Arthrobacter simplex. ... 

Dehydrogenation of (424) and (425) by Arthrobacter simplex, containing a steroid 1,2-dehydrogenase and 2-methyl-1,4-naphthaquinone as hydrogen acceptor, occurred selectively on those enantiomers possessing lOK-chirality to produce optically active (426) and (427). Subsequent reductive aromatisation and acetylation afforded both enantiomeric forms of the c-nor-D-homo-oestradiol (422). 

A1-dehydrogenation is catalysed by the organism Arthrobacter simplex. This reaction is useful in the production of the aromatic A-ring in the 19-norsteroids such as estrone (13) or mestranol (22), which lack the 19-methyl group. It is also a reaction which is compatible with the presence... 

---