Enzymatic kinetic resolution of 1-(3′-furyl)-3-buten-1-ol and 2-(2′-furyl)-propan-1-ol

The enzymatic kinetic resolution of the racemic alcohols 1-(3'-furyl)-3-buten-1-ol(+/-)-1 and 2-(2'-furyl)propan-1-ol (+/-)-2 was investigated by screening a range of lipases and esterases for enantioselective transacylation, as well as for enantioselective hydrolysis. For both alcohols, lipase-catalyzed hydrolysis of the derived racemic acetate gave the best results for accessing the desired (S)-enantiomers. In the case of the secondary alcohol (+/-)-1 ASL turned out to be the optimum enzyme, whereas PPL was found to be superior in the case of the primary alcohol (+/-)-2. Additionally, an alternative access to (S)-2 via Oppolzer's camphor sultam methodology is described. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.