Kinetic resolution of racemic secondary aliphatic allylic alcohols in lipase-catalyzed transesterification

Abstract

Different lipases were screened as biocatalysts in the kinetic resolution process of (±)-hept-1-en-3-ol 1, (±)-5-methylhex-1-en-3-ol 2, (±)-6-methylhept-2-en-4-ol 3, (±)-6,6-dimethylhept-2-en-4-ol 4, and 1-phenylbut-3-en-2-ol 5 by enantioselective transesterification. The acylation of (±)- 1 and (±)- 2 catalyzed by Novozym 435 ( Candida antarctica) was very effective and proceeded with good enantioselectivity. After 4–8 h of reactions the esters formed and the alcohols, which remained were obtained with high enantiomeric excess with 97–100% ee and 91–100% ee, respectively. The lipase Amano PS ( Burkholderia cepacia) was the best catalyst in the asymmetric transesterification of (±)- 5 affording the ( R)-alcohol with 90–95% ee and the ( S)-ester with 98–100% ee. Low enantioselectivities were observed in the cases of lipase-catalyzed acylation of (±)- 3 and (±)- 4.