We　report　here　the　stereoselective　bioreduction　of　α-nitro　ketones　catalyzed　by　ketoreductases　(KREDs)　with　publicly　known　sequences.　YGL039w　and　RasADH/SyADH　were　able　to　reduce　23　class　I　substrates　(1-aryl-2-nitro-1-ethanone　(1))　and　ten　class　II　substrates　(1-aryloxy-3-nitro-2-propanone　(4))　to　furnish　both　enantiomers　of　the　corresponding　β-nitro　alcohols,　with　good-to-excellent　conversions　(up　to　＞99%)　and　enantioselectivities　(up　to　＞99%　ee)　being　achieved　in　most　cases.　To　the　best　of　our　knowledge,　KRED-mediated　reduction　of　class　II　α-nitro　ketones　(1-aryloxy-3-nitro-2-propanone　(4))　is　unprecedented.　Select　β-nitro　alcohols,　including　the　synthetic　intermediates　of　bioactive　molecules　(R)-tembamide,　(S)-tembamide,　(S)-moprolol,　(S)-toliprolol　and　(S)-propanolol,　were　stereoselectively　synthesized　in　preparative　scale　with　42%　to　90%　isolated　yields,　showcasing　the　practical　potential　of　our　developed　system　in　organic　synthesis.　Finally,　the　advantage　of　using　KREDs　with　known　sequence　was　demonstrated　by　whole-cell　catalysis,　in　which　β-nitro　alcohol　(R)-2k,　the　key　synthetic　intermediate　of　hypoglycemic　natural　product　(R)-tembamide,　was　produced　in　a　space-time　yield　of　178　g　L−1　d−1　as　well　as　95%　ee　by　employing　the　whole　cells　of　a　recombinant　E.　coli　strain　coexpressing　RasADH　and　glucose　dehydrogenase　as　the　biocatalyst.　©　The　Royal　Society　of　Chemistry.