Rp. Hof et Rm. Kellogg, LIPASE-CATALYZED RESOLUTIONS OF SOME ALPHA,ALPHA-DISUBSTITUTED 1,2-DIOLS IN ORGANIC-SOLVENTS - NEAR ABSOLUTE REGIO AND CHIRAL RECOGNITION, Tetrahedron : asymmetry, 5(4), 1994, pp. 565-568
Several racemic 1,2-diols bearing a tertiary benzylic alcohol stereoge
nic center can be esterified regioselectively by vinyl acetate using l
ipases and esterases in organic media. With the correct choice of enzy
me and if the non-phenyl substituent at the tertiary center is unsatur
ated, E values of > 250 can be achieved.