ENZYME-CATALYZED REACTIONS .17. LIPASE-CATALYZED RESOLUTION OF RACEMIC 2-ALKYL SUBSTITUTED 1-ALKANOLS

(R)-2-alkyl-1-alkanols (R)-1 with high optical purities were obtained by lipase-catalyzed esterification of the racemic substrates (R,S)-1 with vinyl acetate in dichloromethane. The alcohols (R)-1 were oxidized without racemization to the corresponding carboxylic acids (R)-4. The enriched (S)-acetates (S)-3 either were saponified to the alcohols (S)-1 which are substrates for a second lipase-catalyzed transesterification to give (S)-1 in high optical purity or were racemized and applied once again in the kinetic resolution to prepare (R)-1.