ENZYMES IN ORGANIC SYNTHESIS .19. THE ENZYME-CATALYZED SEQUENTIAL ESTERIFICATION OF (PLUS-OR-MINUS)-ANTI-2,4-DIMETHYLGLUTARIC ANHYDRIDE - AN EFFICIENT ROUTE TO ENANTIOMERICALLY ENRICHED MONOESTERS AND DIESTERSOF ANTI-2,4-DIMETHYLGLUTARIC ACID

(+/-)-anti-2,4-Dimethylpentanedioic anhydride (rac-1) was converted in good yields and with enantiomeric excess by an enzyme-catalyzed seque ntial esterification into the (2R,4R)-monoester 2 and the (2S,4S)-dies ter ent-3. Best results were obtained with Novozym 435, a lipase from Candida antarctica.