A chemoenzymatic preparation of both enantiomers of ω-hydroxymethyl-substituted lactones

Article abstract of DOI:10.1016/0957-4166(95)00408-4

(R)- and (S)-δ-hydroxymethyl valerolactone and ε-hydroxymethyl caprolactone were prepared as tert-butyldiphenylsilyl derivatives, in good yield and high enantiomeric purities, in a 5 step sequence, starting from the microbial stereospecific reduction of ethyl 2-oxocyclopentane or 2-oxocyclohexane carboxylates respectively.