Reduction of nitroolefin using microorganisms.

Microbial reduction of 1-phenyl-2-nitro-1-propene (3) was carried out using 57 strains of yeast, 40 strains of aerobic and facultatively anaerobic bacteria and 40 strains of strictly anaerobic bacteria. Nine strains of yeast (Candida tropicalis, etc.,) had the ability to reduce (3) to 1-phenyl-2-nitropropane (1) (94.1%-60.3% yield). The ability of the aerobic and anaerobic bacteria was weaker than yeast (35.6%-14.0% and less than 5%, respectively). When 11 strains of strictly anaerobic bacteria (Clostridium innocuum etc.,) were used, a final reduced product like amphetamine (2) was detected, although the efficiency of reduction was very poor.