Microbial Baeyer–Villiger oxidation of steroidal ketones using Beauveria bassiana: Presence of an 11α-hydroxyl group essential to generation of D-homo lactones
a rare reduction to 11α-hydroxy-5β-dihydrotestosterone. The experiments have demonstrated that the Baeyer–Villiger monooxygenase produced by the strain catalyzes solely oxidation of C-20 or C-17 ketones with 11α-hydroxyl group. 17-Oxo steroids, beside the 11α-hydroxylation and Baeyer–Villigeroxidation, also underwent reduction to 17β-alcohols; activity of 17β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (17β-HSD)