FACILE CHEMOENZYMATIC PREPARATION OF ENANTIOMERICALLY PURE 2-METHYLGLYCEROL DERIVATIVES AS VERSATILE TRIFUNCTIONAL C4-SYNTHONS

Both enantiomers of a series of synthetically valuable 2-methylglycero l derivatives have been prepared with >99% ee using a chemoenzymatic r eaction sequence. The introduction of chirality was achieved by enanti oselective esterification of 1,2-O-protected 2-methylglycerol 3 or ena ntioselective hydrolysis of its butyryl ester 4. The enzymatic reactio n proceeded with unusually high selectivity and velocity for a primary alcohol (ester) substrate.