Enzyme-mediated enantioselective hydrolysis of cyclic carbonates

Article abstract of DOI:10.1016/0040-4039(95)01300-7

The enzyme-mediated enantioselective hydrolysis of cyclic carbonates is disclosed. Racemic 4-(2-benzyloxy)ethyl-1,3-dioxolan-2-one (1a) was enantioselectively hydrolyzed by porcine pancreas lipase (PPL) to give optically active (R)-1a and (S)-4-benzyloxybutane-1,2-diol (2a). PPL also catalyzed the hydrolysis of several five-membered cyclic carbonates with high enantioselectivity.