Syntheses of enantiopure aliphatic secondary alcohols and acetates by bioresolution with lipase B from Candida antarctica.

The lipase B from Candida antarctica (Novozym 435®, CALB) efficiently catalyzed the kinetic resolution of some aliphatic secondary alcohols: (±)-4-methylpentan-2-ol, (±)-5-methylhexan-2-ol, (±)-octan-2-ol, (±)-heptan-3-ol and (±)-oct-1-en-3-ol. The lipase showed excellent enantioselectivities in the transesterifications of racemic aliphatic secondary alcohols producing the enantiopure alcohols (>99% ee) and acetates (>99% ee) with good yields. Kinetic resolution of rac-alcohols was successfully achieved with CALB lipase using simple conditions, vinyl acetate as acylating agent, and hexane as non-polar solvent.