Optical Rotatory Dispersion Studies. 136.¹ Enzymatic Reduction of 2-Methyl-2-(trideuteriomethy))cyclohexane-l,3-dione. Unusual Conformation of 2,2-Dimethyl-3-hydroxycyclohexanone

The enzymatic reduction of 2-methyl-2-(trideuteriomethyl)cyclohexane-l,3-dione with Kloeckera magna is not stereospecific with respect to the a center. The reaction product, 2-methyl-2-(trideuteriomethyl)-3-hydroxycyclohexanone, was shown to possess the 3S configuration. The circular dichroism and X-ray crystallographic data lead to the unexpected conclusion that the reduction product assumss the conformation with an axially oriented hydroxyl group.