These biocatalysts will make available a wide range of desirable synthons. Provided the racemic amino acid or else the corresponding keto acid is available through chemical synthesis, the biocatalysts will provide the enantiomerically pure amino acid product at a price comparable to that for t-leucine, currently in wide use in part at least because it is available at a manageable price. The new technology will produce a wide range of molecules that are beyond the specificity range of the alternative industry processes.