The chiral intermediates (S)-3,4-dihydro-1,2(2H)-pyridinedicarboxylic acid, 1-(phenylmethyl)ester [BMS 202665-01] and (S)-3,4-dihydro-1,2(2H)-pyridinedicarboxylic acid, 1,1-dimethylethyl ester [BMS 264406-01] were prepared by oxidation of Nα-carbobenzoxy-l-lysine (Nα-CBZ-l-lysine) and Nα-t-butoxycarbonyl-l-lysine (Nα-t-BOC-l-lysine), respectively, by cell suspensions of Rhodotorula graminis SC 16005.